Reflecting on Change

A view from Chestnut Ridge looking out towards the Kittatinny Ridge

I have been thinking about change a lot lately. Perhaps it is because I work in the areas of climate change and restoration. Or because we have seen so many changes resulting from Covid-19 and the deep partisan divides in this country. There has also been a lot of change on the campus where I work in terms of programmatic offerings, structure, personnel, and leadership. In fact, our institutional mission notes that each of us must be prepared for “transformative leadership in a world of change.” Maybe I am simply growing older and am reaching the contemplative phase of my life. 

Virginia Woolf once wrote “A self that goes on changing is a self that goes on living.” I recently wrote to colleagues saying that change is inevitable and essential for institutional and personal resilience.

I live in a tiny rural community where change is not always obvious or at least seems to come at a slower pace. We have escaped (so far) the rapid development of warehouses and distribution centers that have taken over way too much open space in eastern Pennsylvania, covering once-fertile farmland and creating acres of impervious surface where idling tractor trailers sit and spew greenhouse gases and unhealthy particulate matter. Not a lot of new homes have been built around here, but some neighbors have moved on or passed on. There are still family-run farms where you can pick blueberries, strawberries, or apples or buy fresh eggs, a side of beef, or the best sweet corn harvested only a few hours earlier. At some, you can go and cut your own Christmas tree. 

The former kids in the area now have babies of their own. Some old farmhouses are falling into disrepair, perhaps because the aging population can no longer do the work and the children have moved away. Our big old farmhouse is kind of quiet with our own sons grown and living quite far away. Perhaps someday, we won't be able to keep up with the repairs and chores either.

I see changes in the landscape. Hundreds of ash trees are dead or dying thanks to an unwelcome newcomer, the Emerald Ash Borer. The old oaks aren’t faring well either, probably due to other invasive insects, acid rain, and various diseases. Old farm fields are becoming overgrown with invasive shrubs and vines that seem to produce absurd yields of berries readily eaten by birds who are looking for habitat among the changing vegetation and are very good at seed dispersal. We see lots of ticks and annoying insects, but fewer bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. 

Where a brush fire raged several years ago, we now have thick tangles of green briar complete with sharp thorns and no redeeming features that I can think of, although some say the early spring leaves are good in salads.

We went to the local firehouse breakfast this morning, perhaps for the last time. This used to be a routine first-Sunday-of-the-month tradition for our family, and for so many others. Because of Covid, these breakfasts have been scarce over the past few years. The local volunteer fire company is also short on volunteers, many long-time breakfast attendees don’t seem to be around anymore, and the younger generation has other interests. These events were always an opportunity to overhear local gossip, meet local and state politicians who were serving breakfast while campaigning, and see familiar faces – even if they were people that you didn’t know well.  

Although we have lived here for over 27 years, we are still relative newcomers compared to the families with names that have been here for generations: Borger, Silfies, Smale, Frantz, Frable, Barlieb, Greenzweig, Kunkle, and more. They are all very proud of their family history. 

When getting our breakfast tickets, the elderly woman serving as cashier surprised us when she asked David if he still plays music, recalling that he and our son (Corey) played together. That certainly wasn’t anytime recently! We have often lamented that we really don’t know many of the people in the community (in part because we work over “the mountain” in the big valley to the south), but as in many small “towns”, people know. 

At our long table, we sat across from some long-time Kunkletownians and some relatives newer to the region than us. As we ate, we shared memories and stories of things that no longer exist like the local butcher shop where you could bring a mason jar and get it filled with authentic blackstrap molasses back in the day – along with the best cuts of meat. We lamented the pending loss of this firehouse breakfast and commented on the extra-large portions we received today. I guess they are trying to clear out the pantry. One woman, who used to serve at these monthly breakfasts, has lived in her farmhouse for over 60 years. She recalled the woman who once owned the farm that we now inhabit: Kate (Catherine) Brands – a painter, educator and lover of flowers and the view of the Kittatinny Ridge that we get to cherish daily. I smiled when I thought of first meeting Kate and our good fortune to be able to “inherit” and care for her beloved property. 

Suddenly, I realized that a dear friend and colleague who paints and gardens (and writes books and teaches) has almost the same name. Brandes instead of Brands. I don't know why that never occurred to me before, but I love that connection from the past to present. 

As I write this, the early setting sun of December is illuminating the treetops at the eastern edge of our invasive-shrub-invested field, and I have a clear long view of the Kittatinny Ridge, known locally as Blue Mountain” (or “Endless Mountain” by the native people that once inhabited the region). My multi-talented friend Kate, a geologist by training, would likely tell me that this ridge forms the southern and eastern edge of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians in Pennsylvania and has undergone dramatic changes over eons, a hard-to-grasp geological timescale of millions of years rather than a few human generations. It is even harder to fathom that the Appalachians were once likely as high as the Himalayans! 

For now, I am content with the realization that I am blessed to own this little piece of farmland and old home in a quiet rural community with a long history, rich stories, and good people. But I will miss those firehouse breakfasts.

Shadow Mountain Farm

Welcome to COP27: Another year, another COP

Since 2009, Moravian University has sent a delegation of observers to the COPs (Conference of the Parties) – the annual meetings of the signatories (“Parties”) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change or UNFCCC. In a welcome message to COP27 attendees, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt said: 

COP27 in the green city of Sharm El-Sheikh this year marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In the thirty years since, the world has come a long way in the fight against climate change and its negative impacts on our planet; we are now able to better understand the science behind climate change, better assess its impacts, and better develop tools to address its causes and consequences. 

I couldn’t help but be reminded of a T-shirt that youth delegates were wearing at COP15 in Copenhagen – our first COP: 

And here we are, 13 years later, still negotiating. Those teenagers are now likely in their early 30’s debating if they should have families, how to work and live in a sustainable manner, and worried about not only their future and well-being (climate grief is high), but also the fate of future generations. 

President El-Sisi continued in his message:

Thirty years and twenty-six COPs later, we now have a much clearer understanding of the extent of the potential climate crisis and what needs to be done to address it effectively. The science is there and clearly shows the urgency with which we must act regarding rapidly reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, taking necessary steps to assist those in need of support to adapt to the negative impacts of climate change, and finding the appropriate formula that would ensure the availability of requisite means of implementation that are indispensable for developing countries in making their contributions to this global effort, especially in the midst of the successive international crises, including the ongoing food security crisis exacerbated by climate change, desertification and water scarcity, especially in Africa that suffers the most impacts. 

Indeed, there is clear science about what is changing and what the likely long-term impacts of climate change will be on human health, cities, infrastructure, biodiversity, and so on. The UNFCCC, one of three “conventions” or international agreements related to the environment that came out of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, bound member states to act in the interests of human safety even in the face of scientific uncertainty. At that time, the first Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report had been published in 1990 and there was still much to understand about the science of climate change. Nonetheless, 198 countries (Parties) – including the United States – ratified the UNFCCC which was then enacted in 1994. It had as its ultimate aim to prevent “dangerous” human interference with the climate system. Now, three decades later, the three working groups of the IPCC have published the sixth assessment report (AR6, 2021 – 2022), and there is significantly better scientific information and strong consensus about the anthropogenic causes of climate change. 

There appear to be four main goals of COP27 related to mitigation, adaptation, finance, and collaboration.

1. Mitigation: As always, mitigation is a key focus -- that is, the aim to limit global warming to below 2°C, relative to pre-industrial levels. Ideally, ambitious action by all countries in the world will keep the global temperature to no more than 1.5°C warmer. Throughout the airport and on the drive to the hotel, there were signs referring to ambition to action – an apparent rallying cry for COP27. The Mitigation Work Programme (paragraph 27 of decision 1/CMA.3 of the Paris Agreement) calls for an urgent scaling up for mitigation ambition and implementation. The aim is to have countries submit lower GHG emission development strategies than their original NDCs (nationally determined contributions) by COP27 – i.e., low-emission and long-term strategies. You can learn more about this through the third webinar in a series that was developed by the Research and Independent NGOs (RINGOs), Second Nature, and the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) from October 24, 2022. 

It should be noted that a report published ahead of COP27 shows that while countries are “bending the curve of global greenhouse gas emissions downward,” efforts remain insufficient to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C by the end of the century. In other words, to avoid the worse impacts of climate change, more ambitious goals and action are needed. Interestingly, according to a report from the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (IISD), 

COP 26 President Alok Sharma reflected on achievements made at, and since, COP 26, noting that over 90% of the global economy is now covered by net-zero targets. 

In contrast, the chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Hoesung Lee, confirmed on November 6th that the world is not on track to meet the 1.5°C target. Alas, the political posturing and the science are at odds. Shocking.

2. Adaptation: The original framework recognized that climate change impacts will be inevitable and thus there was a need for adaptation as well as mitigation: 

We must plan for the adaptation of natural and human systems to the unavoidable impacts of a warming climate. 

In an IPPC event at COP27 entitled "Assessing adaptation needs: Findings from the IPCC Working Group II contribution to its Sixth Assessment Report," adaptation needs were defined as "circumstances requiring action to ensure safety of population and security of assets in response to climate impacts." This includes adapting to extreme weather events and enhancing resilience of communities, including those most vulnerable to the impacts. Ideally, there should be a focus on disaster and risk reduction. Assessing adaptation needs is best done at the local and regional levels; for instance, what is needed to adapt to areas prone to flooding is quite different from what regions dealing with extreme drought should be doing. Coastal areas and small islands have unique challenges due to sea level rise, salinization, and storm surge damage. The process should be participatory in nature – utilizing local expertise and indigenous knowledge. This is not the stuff of academic, peer-reviewed publications. The need for a greater focus on adaptation has become more evident the longer we delay ambitious mitigation measures. In the 6th assessment report of the IPCC, there is increased attention on maladaptation – unintended negative impacts from adaptive responses such as having plantation forests (versus native forests) that are monocultures, absorb less carbon, and diminish biodiversity. Currently, there is very little evidence of implementation of truly transformative adaptation measures to date and there has been little monitoring and evaluation for accountability and learning on what works and what does not. 

In just two days, I have heard quite a bit about putting "people at the center" of negotiations and actions and "climate-resilient development." At the IPCC event, it was noted that adaptation cannot be addressed in isolation from mitigation and sustainable development; or in the words of one of the IPCC WG II authors, Siri Eriksen: “We cannot adapt our way out of climate change.” Eriksen went on to discuss the need for an integrated process across society. 

3. Finance: Countries have yet to achieve the finance goals of the Paris Agreement (2015) of annual contributions of USD 100 billion. There are existing (and sometimes unmet) pledges dating back to Copenhagen (COP15, 2009) and Cancun (COP16, 2010). Such finance is critical to meet the clean development needs of Africa, the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) – all being hit hard by climate change impacts despite having done little to contribute to historic greenhouse gas emissions. The often contentious debate over Loss and Damage (i.e., who pays for the consequences of climate change) also continues. Today, I bumped into a friend, Marlene Achoki, who I met at a Community Based Adaptation conference in Uganda many years ago. She is now a Party (official country negotiator). I asked her what her country's priorities are for COP27. The answer: finance and loss and damage.

As I write about this particular COP27 goal, I can’t help but think of the purchase of Twitter by Elon Musk and how that $44 billion could have been put to such better uses. 

4. Collaboration: There are many forms of collaboration: private and public partnerships, community stakeholders working together, global collaborations, scientists and decision-makers, etc. In other words, we need "one international community working for the common good of our shared planet and humanity." From UNFCCC COP27 news:

The advancement of partnership and collaboration will help deliver our four goals and ensure the world is adopting more a resilient, and sustainable economic model where humans are at the center of climate talks. The UN negotiations are consensus-based, and reaching agreement will require inclusive and active participation from all stakeholders. Governments, the private sector and civil society need to work, in tandem, to transform the way in which we interact with our planet. We must introduce new solutions and innovations that help alleviate the adverse impacts of climate change. We also need to replicate and rapidly upscale all other climate-friendly solutions towards implementation in developing countries. 

The Egyptian COP27 Presidency has set out an ambitious vision for this COP that puts human needs at the heart of our global efforts to address climate change. The Presidency intends to focus the world’s attention on key elements that address some of the most fundamental needs of people everywhere, including water security, food security, health and energy security. Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and COP27 President said: “We’re gathering this year at a time when global climate action is at a watershed moment. Multilateralism is being challenged by geopolitics, spiraling prices, and growing financial crises, while several countries battered by the pandemic have barely recovered, and severe and depleting climate change-induced disasters are becoming more frequent. 

With that reference to geopolitics, I was reminded of both Christian Parenti's book: Tropic of Chaos: Climate Change and the Geography of Violence and the ongoing, senseless Russia – Ukraine war. Besides the unfathomable toll on human lives, infrastructure, and the environment, there has been a global focus on disruption to fossil fuel exports from Russia, the destruction of energy grid in Ukraine and threats to nuclear power plants, and loss of food security with critical shipments of grain from Ukraine being used as a political bargaining chip. 

The first part of the high-level segment of COP 27 (and CMP 17 and CMA 4 -- lots of UNFCCC jargon) is happening during the Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit from Monday, 7 November to Tuesday, 8 November 2022. Delegates in that plenary room or watching virtually will hear statements from Heads of State and Government or sometimes a Vice President designee. The list of speakers includes the brand new prime minister of the UK Rishi Sunuk (interestingly, there were also sightings of Boris Johnson in the room) and there will even be a video message from Mr. Volodymyr Selenskyy, President of Ukraine. Noticeably absent from the list of speakers is the president (or VP) of the United States (perhaps due to campaigning for key elections). President Biden will, however, arrive later in the week. 

Today is election day back in the U.S. and it has been a contentious campaign season, even though it is for mid-term elections. This isn’t the first time we have been at a COP during election day (I voted by mail both times, for the record). The most notable was in 2016, the presidential election when we also were in northern Africa (Morocco that year) and we woke up to the news that Donald Trump had defeated Hilary Clinton. For several reasons, including ones related to climate change and global relations amidst a campaign season of xenophobic and deeply divisive comments, the mood was extremely dark. I was prompted to write three blog posts which spoke to the mood at the time:

• An Accidental Ambassador (also published for Huffington Post)
• Day 3 at COP22 Part II: Trying to make sense of it all
• Moral Courage

It remains to be seen what I will write in 2022 post-elections.  

Saying adieu to 2021

Shadow Mountain Farm: A view that we get to wake up to every day!

Normally around New Years (because it is too hectic at the end of a semester and at Christmas), I sit down to write a lengthy end-of-year summary of the previous year, a sort of belated holiday message to family and friends. It is always interesting to scroll back through my Google calendar for the year to see what jumps out at me besides my having attended way too many work-related meetings. Given the various types of losses that so many people experienced in 2021, I was hesitant to craft my typical cheery thorough rundown of the past twelve months. However, I decided that it is worth taking time to reflect on the good things that we were blessed with and to realize, with gratitude, that we have been fairly lucky given the ongoing global pandemic. 

Research shows that positive emotions like gratitude are closely connected to health and wellness. Not only do positive emotions promote happiness; they also create an upward spiral in your life. 

There also is some research that indicates that practicing gratitude during a crisis like COVID-19 is not only important for boosting your mood psychologically, but also helps your physical health in response to illnesses like respiratory infections. 

From: The Importance of Gratitude in the Time of COVID by Sherri Gordon 3/30/21  

A colleague of mine frequently talks about the importance of gratitude. Perhaps she is on to something. 

At the beginning of 2021, we were almost a year into the pandemic and the first vaccines were becoming available. I had taught in-person in fall ’20, and although Dave had been teaching virtually, he was about to teach in-person for the spring ’21 semester. Because I work with many faculty and students who go into healthcare facilities and other clinical settings, I was fortunate to receive an appointment slot for my first shot in January. For other reasons including being in education (we won’t mention his age), Dave also was able to get early access to the vaccine. I remember feeling giddy and a huge sense of relief, especially after the second shot. That second appointment for both of us was postponed due to a snow event, but fortunately rescheduled for the next day. Going to the local casino venue for that second vaccination was a bit surreal. We had never even been there for gambling or a night out! 

I am so grateful for science and this new vaccine technology. And I will never understand the ongoing anti-vaccine sentiments. 

It was strange that different states had different roll-out plans and prioritizations. Being in California, Corey was able to get vaccinated pretty early on. Meanwhile, in Illinois (Chicago), Joren had to wait until late spring/early summer. As mom, I felt a sense of relief knowing that they were protected too.

A view of the Lehigh Gap in winter

In the spring semester, I was asked to chair the conservation science committee for Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, and I became board president for the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. Both are incredible honors. Hawk Mountain was started by a feisty female socialite from New York (Rosalie Edge); it is quite a story. Today, the organization is a global leader in raptor conservation and research. Dave and I (and other authors) continue to work on the book describing the amazing story of restoration at the Lehigh Gap - a Superfund site and contaminated barren landscape converted to a wildlife refuge and nature center. At a time when negative news about our planet are far too common, it is rewarding to be involved with two organizations that represent hope for our environmental future.

~~

Easter was relatively late in 2021 (April 4th) and Dave and I went to a fantastic holiday brunch at a local country inn. It was weird to eat out in a restaurant after not doing so for a long time. Another reason to be grateful for the vaccine. 

Eastern PA had a spectacular spring for flowering trees and shrubs. No late frosts to turn star magnolia blooms brown as too often happens. 

A flower on a star magnolia

A newly planted magnolia in 2021 - I couldn't resist the lemony-colored flower on this variety!

 

We transplanted this weeping cherry from our old house/property 26 years ago!

By early May, I was brave enough to venture out for a haircut for the first time since the fall before the pandemic hit! And Dave and I went to a farm-team hockey game in a venue that was mostly empty. But it was finally a date night! 

Corey came to visit in May – so we got to bird together at the height of spring migration and for Mother’s Day. Such time together is always special and most certainly something to be grateful for. 

Corey brought me to see these trilliums on a Mother's Day many years ago - we came back in 2022

~~

In June, Joren graduated from the University of Chicago with three majors: physics, math and music composition! At first, this was going to be a virtual only ceremony, but at the last minute, the institution's administration changed their minds. One campus-wide commencement ceremony was held as a virtual event that we watched from home in PA. Then smaller ceremonies were held a few days later and these were open to families and a small number of guests. Even though this was a last minute change, we fortunately found a reasonably priced cute rental near campus to stay at. We were so happy to be able to attend this event on the beautiful U. Chicago campus and celebrate (as very proud parents) Joren’s accomplishments. Over the weekend, we also got to see a little of Chicago, eat some ethnic food, and spend a day together at the Indiana dunes on Lake Michigan. 

Playing in Lake Michigan

Having two sons who have grown into wonderful young men is another thing to be grateful for. Corey is working on his Ph.D. in chemistry at Cal Tech. Joren is working on a masters in Physics at U. Chicago.

~~

The end of June brought a new addition to our household – an adorable and extremely energetic miniature golden-doodle puppy. Friends of ours breed them and they had suggested for some time that we consider getting one after losing Revi, our Flat-coated Retriever, last year. To say the doodle pups are adorable is an understatement. But we certainly forgot how much work puppies can be. Booker has been a lot of fun and he is growing into a very loving companion. He loves to walk in the woods with us and as the breeders noted, these are little dogs with a big dog attitude. 

Booker - on "gotcha day" (June 29th)

Unlike summer 2020 during which I mostly worked remotely and had some extra time to work in the gardens since I wasn't commuting to and from work, this summer, I was on campus most weekdays. The gardens were still wonderful to enjoy when I came home. The Palmerton pool was open again for recreation and exercise, and of course, there were lots of walks with Booker and Dave.

In late July/August, both Dave and I had a chance to go to Costa Rica with friends. Unfortunately, we went at separate times – in part, due to our earlier uncertainty about Joren’s plans after graduation, and in larger part, due to the new puppy. Dave finally got to see Camaquiri – our conservation initiative in the country. It was great to travel again (things seemed very safe), to visit this country I love so much, and to see some Tico friends once again. I had been in Costa Rica with students just as Covid was hitting the U.S. in spring ’20 and just a few days after we returned, things shut down rapidly! 

Just one of the many species of Heliconia in the tropics

The beautiful Mesen family: Israel, baby Gavin, Sophia and Carolina at Camaquiri

~~

In September, I attended the Audubon fall migration camp at Hog Island in Maine – with my “boss” who is retiring at the end of the 2021-22 academic year. The migration was phenomenal, the setting beautiful, and the birding time made extra special as the camp was led by some great friends: Scott Weidensaul, Holly Merker, and Eva Matthews Lark. 

It was so wonderful to return to the beautiful and special place

Holly Merker and me

Sunset from the island

~~

I realized that, in reading this, it probably sounds like I don’t work much. In reality, it was a crazy year of strategic planning, reorganization, accreditation processes for several new programs under my purview, teaching, etc. And Moravian College (established in 1742) became Moravian University! I am grateful to work on a beautiful campus that is thriving at a time when some campuses are not faring nearly as well. Dave also works at a wonderful institution of higher education and enjoys no longer being department chair! Working with students and helping to prepare the next generation of scientists, problem solvers, and leaders is certainly rewarding. 

I also continue my work with the NCAA – running the leadership institute as virtual webinars for 2020-21 (due to Covid) and then holding an in-person session in late September in Indianapolis. Thanks to masks and vaccinated participants, all went smoothly. My idea for these institutes was first kicked around in 2000 and we launched the first one in 2005. It has been quite the honor to organize and facilitate these annually ever since.

The Hall of Champions at the NCAA Headquarters in Indianapolis

The 2020-21 Division II FAR Fellows (we briefly demasked for a group photo)

~~

After much deliberation and many delays from the U.N. in terms of planning details, I ended up attending the climate conference (COP26) in Glasgow with my colleague from Moravian, Dr. Hilde Binford. This had been delayed from 2020. Lots of testing (pre-travel each direction and daily while in Scotland), mask wearing, and limited room capacities kept people safe, but hindered civil society participation. It was great to see the U.S. “back in” the Paris Agreement with high profile representatives present in full force making a lot of good pledges that they may or may not be able to deliver. You can read about some of the events and perspectives in our Moravian at the UNFCCC blog.

I didn't have to organize a side event (panel) this year, but helped run daily meetings of the Research and Independent NGOs constituency (RINGOs), worked with the Global Council for Science and the Environment delegation, had a meeting with the UN reps who work with the Technology Executive Committee, and gave a presentation on the TEC task forces (I serve on the Innovation task force). I had a little free time to walk around the city to sightsee.

The lovely view of the River Clyde from our rental

The Glasgow Cathedral

The Climate Action Hub at COP26

Representing RINGOs at a session with the UNFCCC Secretariat and country Parties

I was invited to attend a roundtable discussion with Gina McCarthy - special climate advisor to President Biden

With colleagues from Colorado State and the University of Derby

Due to the Level 4 risk rating of the UK by the State Department, Moravian students weren’t allowed to travel to the COP. I did, however, connect with colleagues and students involved with our multi-institution grant (the YEAH project) and see some Moravian alums who attended. I also reconnected with a high school classmate who works in the climate market world! Our paths have been very different since graduating from Marquette Senior High, but it was fun to compare notes over dinner together in Glasgow!

Moravian alums (Sarabeth Brockley '10 and Chelsea Hill '21)

 My dear friend and colleague Gillian Bowser

Part of the YEAH team!

Two Marquette gals hanging in Glasgow - discussing our climate-related work and catching up on over 40 years of life (with Karen McClelland)

~~

It was a lovely, long fall with lots of walks with Booker, even if the autumn color was slow to emerge and less vibrant than last year. We didn’t have frost until November (which is highly unusual, speaking of climate change)! 

Dave and I had a quiet Thanksgiving at home, wrapped up the fall ’21 semester, and anxiously awaited the arrival of both boys for the Christmas holiday. It was the first time we have all been together in three years. We were all boosted, but because of the Omicron variant of Covid, didn’t venture out much. Nonetheless, it was wonderful to hang out, bake together, have some music playing by the boys, visit Longwood Gardens with Holly, do some winter birding, play Scrabble, snuggle with Booker, and just be together as a family at the farm. That love-filled ending to 2021 is definitely something to be grateful for.

Jeeps, Springsteen and Climate Change - Unity or Erasure?

Throughout the day, I have seen a number of high school friends and relatives post on social media about the Jeep/Springsteen commercial that aired during the Superbowl. There has been some interesting analysis about the effectiveness of the ad (or lack thereof) and some surprise that Bruce – in his old age – is selling out to commercialism [see for example, references 1, 2]. But the comments from many of my Facebook connections express frustration over the omission of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan from the map that was shown in the ad. 

This is not the first time that the UP has been left off maps. Or drawn as a part of Wisconsin. Or Canada. Of particular note, the ad was the product of a Michigan agency, from under the bridge of course, but still [3]. 

I get it. To have your home place omitted, casually erased, stings. (In my opinion, the UP is such a wonderful place that I am happy to have fewer people know of its existence!)

This most recent omission reminded me of a U.N. climate conference (COP) several years ago. There was a large globe hanging in the venue that could be used to show impacts of climate change and to let attendees know that we are all in this mess together. Unity, just like the Jeep commercial. 

The problem was that this globe did not include many key island nations, all of which had delegates at the COP. To make matters worse, these small island nations are among the most vulnerable places in the world due to sea level rise and the increasing power of cyclones. Their homeland is being erased – not only on that global depiction – but literally by rising waters and storm surge.

During this pandemic, I haven't been able to travel to the U.P., the place I still call home, even though I moved away a long time ago. I miss it. But I can’t imagine what it is like to be facing the physical loss of the place you call home, that you pledge your national allegiance to, where your ancestors are buried, that your livelihood depends on, where your culture and personal narrative are rooted. Someday, hopefully in the not too distant future, I will be able to travel again and visit home and friends and relatives. Climate refugees, however, will never be able to go back.

Climate change is one of the many topics that divides us in this nation. Despite reams of scientific evidence, this global problem has become hyper-politicized. Perhaps it might be useful for us all to take a map and cut out the place we call home, the landscape that matters most to us. And then remember, that this very erasure of place is actually happening to people who live on islands, on coastlines, in the Arctic, and in areas that have undergone severe desertification and can no longer support life.

 

1. Healey, Tim. Jeep's Super Bowl Ad Won't Unite Us (2/8/21)

 https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/02/opinion-jeeps-super-bowl-ad-wont-unite-us/

 

2. Richards, Chris. If Bruce Springsteen's Jeep commercial doesn't bum you out, congrats on the purchase of your new Jeep. (2/8/21) https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/springsteen-sells-out-jeep-ad-superbowl/2021/02/07/b9bd1fa0-6986-11eb-9ead-673168d5b874_story.html

 3. LaCombe, Andrew. Super Bowl commercial leaves Upper Peninsula off map. https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2021/02/08/super-bowl-commercial-leaves-upper-peninsula-off-map/?

 

Holiday Letter for a Most Unusual Year

The corn was frosted, taters is scarce, an’ I lost my best houn’ dog but just the same Christmas is Christmas.

This was the saying on the front of a Christmas card pack I bought many years ago. I don’t recall why I bought the cards other than perhaps I was stunned by the depressing holiday message. I vaguely recall that we did lose our beloved Labrador Retriever, Sam, that year. But back then, we certainly never imagined a year like 2020.

 

Last December, I found myself in cold, rainy Madrid. The United Nations Climate meetings (COP 25) were supposed to be in Santiago, Chile, but political unrest and violence led to a sudden shift of the conference to another continent and a lot of scrambling to find new accommodations and flights. And here I sit, a little more than a year later, on a cold rainy day here in Pennsylvania (well, actually, it is in the 50's which is odd for December), watching the snow remnants turn to slush and mud and thinking back on the months since COP25.

 

Colleagues at COP25

A mini reunion of some RMSSN "alum"

Christmas 2019 was quite different. David dropped Joren and me off at Newark airport early in the morning. Our friends Terry and Sally Master were on the same flight, and when we arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica later that day, we met up with Corey who had flown in from California. We had a late lunch and spent the night in the city at Hotel Don Carlos, one of my favorite hotels which has sadly permanently closed – a victim of the pandemic. The next morning, our friend and Tico colleague, Israel Mesen met us and we picked up others: Tom LaDuke, three of his children, the primatologist Jill Pruitt and one of her graduate students who had all flown in from Texas, Jenn Lansing, and members of the Brink family. Terry, Tom, Israel, his relative Eduardo (who was with us on our Panama venture a few years ago), Jenn (who I do restoration work with), the Brinks, and I are co-investors in the Camaquiri Conservation Initiative.

We headed north and over the mountain range to Camaquiri. Our holiday season was spent “christening,” celebrating, and exploring this new site situated on approximately 500 acres of spectacular rain forest in the Caribbean lowlands. We had wonderful leisurely hikes through the forest, met our new “neighbors,” and discussed future plans for the field station that we had invested in. It was a wonderful way to welcome in the new year (despite the mud), flawed only by Dave’s decision to stay in PA to take care of the animals and farmhouse over the holidays.

 

So much rain and mud!

The kitchen/dining area at Camaquiri

The daily review of wildlife sightings

 

A few weeks later, I flew to the NCAA annual convention in Anaheim as a part of the work that I continue to do with that organization. The panel sessions focused on student-athlete welfare and well-being, rules compliance, communicating the value of sports, etc. Little did we know that in less than two months, intercollegiate athletics, including March Madness, would be suspended. The best part of the trip (besides seeing long-time acquaintances at the convention) was meeting up with Corey afterwards to do some birding along the shore and in the mountains, touring Caltech’s campus, and going to a Deep EndSessions dinner/concert with the Lonesome Ace Stringband at the amazing Deep End Ranch.

 

The kitchen at Deep End Ranch

I returned to campus to my dean-work and teaching my Environmental Health and Costa Rica as a Model of Sustainability courses. At the beginning of that course which is taken mostly by public health majors, I introduce epidemiology and we discuss John Snow’s early “detective” work with cholera outbreaks in London in the 1800's. In the news, there were the first reports of a new infectious disease in Wuhan Province, likely zoonotic (jumping from animal to human) in nature. This provided a contemporary case study for us to follow and to "practice" some epidemiology in real time, using the John Hopkins dashboard as a tool. Within weeks, it became a bit too real as we watched this initial outbreak spread around the world.

 

Days before faculty and students were to leave for course-related spring break trips, I was called into meetings to decide whether one trip to Rome was still a good idea. Given the rapidly rising number of cases of COVID-19 in Italy, I thought not. But the group went anyway. I left with students on February 26^th to head back to Costa Rica; COVID had not yet reached Central America. It is always wonderful to introduce students to the wonders of the tropics and the people of a country I love. But many of my days were interrupted with long-distance Zoom meetings back to campus as administration began to fear for what was coming. The students who went to Rome would have to self-quarantine for two weeks when they returned. This was particularly important for several nursing majors on the trip who would not be allowed back into their clinical sites until they were cleared after quarantine. While we felt safe at our remote field stations, I could sense the growing fear about what was to come. Two days before we were to return to the U.S., Costa Rica reported its first case of COVID and we were a bit nervous having to go through both the Miami and Newark airports on our return to Pennsylvania. My colleagues Terry and Tom from East Stroudsburg University (where I used to work) had their course trip canceled by the institution, just 7 days after we had left to come down.

 

Finca Cristina - a shade-grown coffee plantation

 

Life on the river

Israel teaching!

My colleagues Jenn and Natasha

Students at Camaquiri

Lynette and Carmen - our cooks

 

The rest of March is a bit of blur.  About a week after returning from Costa Rica, we were told to be prepared to go online with our teaching “just in case.” On a Thursday, there were plans to have faculty practice online teaching either the following Tuesday or Wednesday. The next day, I met a former colleague for a drink and distinctly remember wondering if it was such a good idea as we were beginning to realize that the virus was no longer just overseas, and we had seen the overfilled hospitals and death toll in China, Italy and Spain. Later that day, the college announced that we were going fully online by Monday. My public health students no longer wanted to follow the epidemiological patterns, and several were starting to question their choice of majors.

 

It was fortunate that Moravian College had good technology in place and all students and faculty have the same Mac laptops. Several faculty had been teaching virtually either for some online programs already in place or during a mumps outbreak on campus in fall of 2019. We already knew the students in our courses pretty well since we had made it half-way through the semester in-person. Still, the transition was not easy for many on either the teaching or learning end. And it was somewhat disastrous for the sciences and health fields that rely on hands-on learning in the laboratories or clinical settings, especially programs that are accredited and have required hours of practicum for graduation and eventual licensing to practice. I can't imagine what it was like for faculty who had school-aged children at home that they had to help with online learning too.

Joren came home from U Chicago about this same time to finish out his 2^nd and 3^rd terms of his junior year from home. With him doing his classes and Dave and I both teaching online, there was a bit of a “strain” on our limited bandwidth since we still get our internet through a DSL connection. No cable or broadband in these parts. With two classes and more meetings than I ever remember, I spent way too many hours in front of the screen on Zoom.

Working from home does have its advantages are you can find time for middle-of-the-day walks with Revi the retriever and baking -- if you could find flour and yeast. I became quite good at finding supplies online including two-pound blocks of yeast and bulk-order specialty flours from a regional mill run by Lafayette graduates. I have also found the best online site to order spices! With the current shipping delays and bizarre rerouting, this isn't such a good idea, but we didn’t yet have that problem back in spring and summer. I have baked a lot of bread this year. It is a good thing that we don't have gluten sensitivities in this household! I am not sure we can return to store bought bread - ever!

 

Spring blended into summer. Dave and I joined Terry and other friends for an annual spring bird count in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. We stayed socially distanced and it was great to see and hear both spring migrants and other people! Last week, we again joined Terry and others for our annual Christmas Bird Count in the Allentown area -- our coldest ever (it was 4 degrees when we started at 7:00 a.m.)

 

 

Corey came home to visit in early summer and was able to get his negative COVID test results back in time so that we didn’t have to mask and stay socially distanced in the house the entire time he was here. He somehow managed to get a sourdough starter through TSA and now making sourdough bread has become my new hobby.

 

July - the last time we were all together

While birding with Corey, we found an abandoned young cat who had apparently recently given birth. She was soooo sweet that we couldn't leave her behind. So Riley became the newest addition to our family. Five months later, she is still really sweet and is accepted by Zzzy and Rory.

My friend and collaborator Gillian drove out from Colorado to try to see her mother in an assisted living facility, but wasn’t allowed in. She visited us for a few days and drove back with an extra dog – her mom’s – to care for. We met at the climate meetings back in 2009 - the first one for both of us. Since then, we have collaborated on a number of projects and grants, including a new one that was awarded by the National Science Foundation in August of this year.

 

Gillian and I at the Lehigh Gap

Summer was spent in more Zoom meetings and developing protocols to get faculty and student researchers and our health programs back in-person as quickly as possible.  Joren had a virtual research experience with Caltech doing theoretical physics (that is about all I understood of the project). I swam a lot and am so grateful that the pool in nearby Palmerton opened in early July for people who had purchased annual memberships. Dave ran more than usual. We hiked and birded and gardened – all things that kept us sane and got us outdoors safely and often. 

 

The Palmerton Pool

Dingman Falls

At Rickett's Glen State Park

 

My first vegetable garden in several years - and a good harvest for months!

Mid-summer, we learned that Joren, as a senior, would have to move off campus as dorms would be saved for first- and second-year students. It is not easy to find an apartment to rent when you are over 700 miles away. He finally had success and left in August, six weeks before he needed to be back on campus, but ready to escape his parents. About a year and a half ago, he became a vegetarian, so Dave and I tried a number of new recipes over the summer. They were good, but we enjoyed adding meat to the menu occasionally after Joren left! His senior year will be so different with few in-person courses, missing his dorm housemates, and not being able to gather in person for the choirs that he has been a part of in college. I am so grateful that I was able to visit him on campus twice in his time there, including November 2019 where I attended a choral concert of his, took him to see a production of Hamilton, wandered downtown Chicago and the lake shore together, and had some good restaurant meals.

 

Back in LA County, Corey has had to deal with campus closures and still only can get into the lab part-time. There is a time-share protocol in place so they can remain as safe as possible in the region of the country with the highest number of COVID cases. It is so tough to try to do your graduate research that way, but he copes by getting out to the mountains to bird, spending time with Melvin his adopted rescue cat, and enjoying all the wildlife that visits his backyard. Like with Joren, I am glad that I was able to visit Corey last January for a few days when travel was still possible. Neither of them can come home for Christmas ’20 as it simply isn’t safe to fly. 😓

 

This fall, Dave’s courses were fully online. I taught in-person on Monday nights with my colleague Hilde, but we had to be flexible as we had a rotating cast of students joining in virtually on any given night. Some were in self-quarantine or isolation, and a few were stuck in Saudi Arabia unable to come into the U.S. even with student visas. The dreadful, seemingly endless Zoom meetings filled too many hours every day. I am so grateful that campus is closed for 2 weeks over the holidays, not only for the break (I had only 2 vacation days in 2020), but also for the Zoom-less days.

 

As someone who normally travels a lot for work, it has been odd being so homebound. The NCAA leadership institute I normally facilitate has been replaced by a series of virtual webinars that I have had to design with the help of my steering committee members. I am not planning a course trip to Costa Rica for March ’21 due to campus travel bans. COP26, which was to be held in Glasgow, Scotland in November, was postponed to 2021 and the U.S. officially left the Paris Agreement, going back on our promises to the world from 2016. There have been some virtual sessions and much discussion of “building back better”, but it isn’t the same as being at the in-person negotiations and meeting with friends from around the world.

 

In fall ’19, I was honored to be asked to serve on the board for Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. That organization, along with the Lehigh Gap Nature Center (where I have worked on the restoration of the contaminated landscape since 2007) and the Kittatinny Coalition (which works to conserve the section of the Appalachian Mountains in PA) were all doing strategic planning this year. More Zoom meetings! At least it was safe to hike at Hawk Mountain, at the Lehigh Gap, and along the Appalachian Trail this year so we could get out an appreciate all the conservation work and the wildlife we try to protect. Dave and I explored some new areas, especially state parks a bit farther away and away from the crowds; we found exquisite sites especially during the gorgeous fall color season.

 

A view from Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

The restoration work at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center (on a Superfund site)

 

Birthdays have passed uneventfully. No dinners out; we have braved take-out only a few times. Dave and I have seen way more of each other than we usually do and so far, still like each other! 

 

We have been through the most contentious (and long) campaign season that I ever remember and now live in a country so divided that family relationships and long-time friendships have ended or are on rocky ground. It has been a year like no other.

 

We try to stay positive and focus on what is good. We are healthy and live in a beautiful place that makes isolation quite tolerable. 

 

 

We have good jobs, that while they are quite different right now, still give us a chance to educate the next generation of scientists, conservationists, healthcare workers, etc. These young adults are struggling with the current “new normal” yet itching to solve some of the global challenges facing humanity and the planet. They give us hope for a brighter future.

 

So, with that thought, we send wishes for a restful holiday season and a better 2021. It may be different this year, but we hope that you can reflect on what is good in your lives and how we can each do our part to make the world a bit better. While it was too cloudy in eastern PA to see the great conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter, the photos we saw from around the world were stunning. I took this rare astrological event as a sign that the world can and will be a better place.

Happy holidays!

Diane and Dave

Happy holidays from the Husics!