Most scientist agree the climate is changing, but accurate science is needed, and more research is needed to know what is really going on. Politicians and the public need to listen to the scientists. This is necessary for preparation and ethical decision making. The scientist is exploring the truth and finding how to navigate this new world. It is interesting that the scientific community is not divided. It is our media and politicians that are divided. This shared sense of purpose among so many scientists, non-profits, and communities is going forward without the ones yelling and screaming and ready to take down economies. The key is the work “communities” working with the scientists to bring about a better world and work toward the greater good.
The age of climate decisions is here, and our actions will define the course of civilization and the health of the planet. – Dr. Paul Mayewski, Director of the Global Climate Institute, University of Maine
One of my projects was to restore an historical spring and bottling plant. In that process, I advertised for historical memorabilia and artifacts. This historical spring and bottling plant was one time connected to a grand resort. It was founded in 1795 and by 1900 was an international resort for the rich and famous, and the spring was known for its curative powers. I purchased several brochures and one of these brochures was dedicated to the ice storm of the century which was in 1898. In 1998 we had another ice storm of the century. People occasioned this as a product of global warming and the earth was doomed. This was a hundred-year weather event. Global climate is changing, and it is important to understand the difference between a hundred-year weather event and global climate change.
Most scientists agree the climate is changing, but accurate science is needed, and more research is needed to know what is really going on. Politicians and the public need to listen to the scientists. This is so necessary for the preparation and ethical decision-making. Scientists are exploring the truth and are finding how to navigate this new world.
TopMemoir
I was fortunate to have several mentors that are in the acknowledgments of this book. I do not see myself as a scientist but as a project manager. I considered myself a good project manager. I was fortunate to hire great scientists who ensured our studies and reports were professional and scientific both nationally and internationally. It is largely due to these people that my tenure in my job, had absolutely no issues. We had a great reputation for doing great work and protecting our sources. This was because I listened to people who knew more than me. I learned and cared deeply about the watersheds we were managing.
The scientist that I worked with daily were working in consulting companies. I only used those who had great reputations and had been doing the work for several years. They were the best in their fields. In addition, I valued the partnerships I built with universities. When private and public institutions come together great ideas are shared, creativity is heightened, and educational and research projects can serve the greater good.
I worked with many research universities on projects relating to natural resource sites, and educational exhibits. It was a partnership benefiting all parties. The most interesting project was partnering with universities to build educational exhibits. These were a climate and weather exhibit, a glacial exhibit, a long-term monitoring exhibit, and a groundwater model and real-time weather station. In addition, we built cultural exhibits to show how climate and weather sustainability impacted communities. It comes down to individuals practicing leadership to make their community and state sustainable.
I restored a historical bottling plant and spring house. This building was on the historical register, so everything had to be approved by a historical commission. The exhibits were created by us. I formed a committee with a scientist, a contractor, a graphic artist, an electrician, and a plumber. I did this because I took bids from a national exhibit company and the price for the exhibits was so high it would have depleted the rest of my budget. The parking lot and trails system that I had budgeted for would not have been completed. Fortunately, my sub-contractors and scholars who were friends of mine donated their time to finish the exhibits.
Our first exhibit was a groundwater model, not one to take to meetings like in the previous chapter where you had to hand pump water through the model. We wanted an elaborate model that you could determine draught, normal and heaving precipitation times, and the effects on the system. The exhibiting company wanted one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to build one. My friend Dr. Charles Fitts with the University of Southern Maine and Walter Andersen, emeritus geologist for the state of Maine both volunteered their time to develop the hydrogeology of the model. My graphic artist designed the graphics for the model to display the groundwater system. A local sign company built the model, and my electrician and plumber designed the working parts of the model. Our finished exhibit measure stood six feet long by five feet high and was amazing. We did this project for twenty-two thousand dollars.