The Environmental Justice movement has loomed large lately, and rightly so.  With problems like the nearby Aliso Canyon gas leak, lead contamination from the Exide battery plant, and refinery explosions in Torrance, people and politicians are wondering if businesses can operate safely.  In some areas, certain types of businesses are being banned.  Stricter rules are being proposed either by the state or local agencies.  I believe both of those miss the greater issue, and that is the Human Factor.

Were some of your best experiences outside?  If yes, please comment on the Department of Interior's initial list of open space designations -including many in California.   Here's how you can comment:  https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=DOI-2017-0002-0001

Tell them what public lands mean to you.  My story started with Cheez Whiz.....

Back in 2015, drought solutions were hidden behind unhelpful PR....

I was crushed when Hillary Clinton lost the election.  But, after talking to a former high level Republican official, I now think some good might come from the election of Donald Trump.  If either of those statements made you cringe, that, in my opinion, is the biggest issue of all.  Generalization is the death knell of civil discourse.  This election, and so many other policy debates, have become all – or – nothing flame throwing matches. We are smarter than that.

One of the most shocking events of 2016 was the Fact Free Election: free license to mislead and lie, without time or care for details.  The problem is politics begets policy, and the truth seems to matter less and less to people.  In the case of science, this is tragic.

The worst road we can go down is to discredit and devalue truth, and for that, scientists need to speak up more clearly and more often than ever before.