Category: National Security

Climate Action, Climate Change, National Security February 8, 2020April 27, 2020

What Can Be Composted? | Circular Economy

Washington (GGM) Analysis | February 8, 2020
by Noreen Wise

Composting is quickly becoming a very big deal. Knowing what can be composted, particularly at home, will net many positive rewards for you as an individual as well as your household, the environment, and for contributing in the lowering of global atmospheric carbon levels.

Since there are so many benefits to composting, the sooner we start, the better. For the most part, it’s broken down to a solid mix of “Greens” and “Browns,” the add a bit of water to the bin. Per the US EPA, the breakdown is as follows:

GREENS

all fruits & vegetables scraps
coffee grounds & tea bags
egg shells
grass clippings
yard trimmings
house plants
animal manures (except dog and cat)
seaweed

BROWNS

paper
cardboard
shredded newspaper
branches
dead leaves
pine needles
paper napkins
straw and hay
sawdust
corn stalks
dryer lint

Check your city to see of they have compost drop off stations. Many towns and cities do. Washington DC for example, has compost drop-off at every farmers market, and during winter, there are three locations, one of which is opened on Sundays. Spring and summer months, the public can pick up compost for free to use in home gardens.

We’ve got this, LET’S GO!~

2020, Climate Action, Climate Change, National Security February 2, 2020April 27, 2020

Climate Change & Education | US Botanic Garden in DC

Washington (GGM) Analysis | February 2, 2020
by Noreen Wise

With Italy’s official announcement at the beginning of the new year, that all schools will now teach sustainability & climate change, many American educators are looking for ways to incorporate climate change lesson plans into their curriculum.

This is a big deal. Education will curb the fears that many young students harbor when they hear repeated warnings about the future. News flashes on phones about apocalyptic wildfires that killed a billion animals, and destroyed thousands of homes, is massively anxiety provoking. Lack of information fuels their concern, and action oriented facts curb it.

With this in mind, it was very exciting to see the impactful event at the US Botanic Garden on Capitol Hill Thursday evening January 30, 2020 for teachers in the Washington DC and outlying suburbs. Interactive tables, featuring climate change lesson plans, were spread throughout the breathtaking flora. Sustainability, the environment and nature were also included. Very inspiring. Nature itself is therapeutic. Studying nature along with climate action will improve the mental health of our youth as we rush to adapt to the crushing reality of the climate crisis.

Modeling the importance of composting was powerful, especially on Capitol Hill where Mitch McConnell is blocking compositing in the dining halls in the Senate and House office buildings.

The following are several of the innovative lesson plans featured at the event:

Renewables and Nonrenewables, Oh My!
Waste Less, Recycle More
Greenhouse Manual by the US Botanic Garden: “exploring ways to incorporate a greenhouse as a hands-on learning environment for students of all ages.”
School Tree Planting Program
Native Knowledge, Teaching America’s Whole Story – created by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian
Living Earth Teach-In: Sustaining our Future through Indigenous Knowledge
Air Quality Action Guide
What You Should Know About Ground Level Ozone and Particle Pollution
An Educators Guide to the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE)
Oh, and creating seed pizzas that will make spring planting so much easier (this was amazing)

2020, Climate Action, National Security January 29, 2020October 31, 2020

Tesla Crushes It In 2019| How Will Other EVs Fair in 2020?

Washington (GGM) Analysis | January 29, 2020

by Noreen Wise After a ten year struggle to become profitable, Tesla nailed it in 2019. The 4th quarter was the turning point according to CNN. Some of the key factors for increased growth in consumer demand that put Tesla into the black are:

range
how long it takes to charge
how many public charging stations exist in local communities
and the EV car price

Every single one of these critical factors have moved in the right direction.

range increased with the new average at 200 miles per full charge
charging time went down significantly and now only averages a quick 20 minutes
public charging stations have mushroomed, not only businesses providing them in corporate parking lots to employees, but stores offering charging stations to consumers as a competitive advantage
EV car prices have dropped substantially

Climate action focused states such as New York, California, Connecticut and Massachusetts have crafted creative carrots and stick, incentives and regulations, creating a patchwork of solutions that are driving results. Very happy for Tesla to finally experience the upside of being an innovator, after schlepping through the painful wilderness for so long. In 2020, Tesla will have to face a much more competitive landscape, now that most of the obstacles in the EV marketplace have been eliminated. The following is CNET’s Road Show’s official 2020 EV lineup by range:

Tesla Model S |373 miles | $79,990
Tesla Model 3 | Long Range 330 miles | $44,500
Tesla Model X | 328 miles | $81,000
Chevrolet Bolt EV | 259 miles | $36,620
Hyundai Kona Electric | 258 miles | $36,990
Kia Niro EV (SUV) | 239 miles | $38,500
Jaguar I-Pace | 234 miles | $69,850
Nissan Leaf Plus | 226 miles | $36,550
Audi e-tron | 204 miles | $75,000
Porsche Taycan | 201 miles | $150,900
BMW i3 | 153 miles | $44,450
Nissan Leaf | 150 miles | $29,990
Mini Cooper SE | 110 miles | $20,000
Honda Clarity Electric | 89 miles | lease only

Very extensive options. But the Tesla Model 3 certainly shines amongst its peers.~

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2020, National Security, Senate, Trump January 22, 2020January 22, 2020

1am White House Counsel Meltdown | John Bolton Matters

Washington (GGM) Analysis | January 22, 2020
by Noreen Wise

In the wee hours of the morning, between midnight and 1:00 AM Wednesday January 22, 2020, the GOP suffered a significant unforced error.

Technically the error wasn’t unforced, but rather a knee-jerk response to Jerry Nadler’s exceptional presentation of irrefutable facts that were impossible to dispute. Nadler’s skillful ability to outline what appears to be Bolton’s critical knowledge, followed by the questions that only Bolton would be able to answer, left viewers feeling very confident that GOP Senators would be forced to agree to Bolton being subpoenaed, for how could they not? What could Cipollone and Sekulow possibly say in response to Nadler?

White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, then appeared at the mic. His obvious anger at being cornered, resulted in what could only be described as “deranged.” Cipollone demanded that Nadler apologize for what he said, and for his “lies.” His tone was that of alarm. This created cognitive dissonance for viewers, who were aware of the facts, and had followed the House Impeachment Hearings.

Jay Sekulow jumped up and took the mic. Perhaps it was one too many Red Bulls, or the late hour after a marathon day of conflicted debates, but whatever it was, Sekulow’s guard was down. He sounded shrill and panicked over Nadler’s compelling facts, and the significance of Bolton in the impeachment trial outcome.

It suddenly became abundantly clear that what McConnell never anticipated, was that the 12 hour day might create human vulnerabilities that no one can predict. Very scientific human vulnerabilities, such as the impact sleep deprivation has on our response to stress. Whatever it was, the outcome was significant and blatant.

Nadler’s focus on Bolton, during which he outlined impactful facts and questions, caused a major stress reaction in the White House counsel. Nadler seemed startled by the unexpected commotion.

John Roberts stepped in to admonish both sides, reminding everyone about where they were.

The takeaway? John Bolton matters. John Bolton’s testimony is absolutely critical and appears to be the very evidence that will hang Donald Trump, and result in his removal from office.

John Bolton must be protected until he can testify.

2020, Gun Safety Legislation, National Security January 19, 2020January 19, 2020

Virginia’s Gun Rights Rally | What Virginian George Washington Proved About Guns

Washington (GGM) Analysis | January 19, 2020
by Noreen Wise

As the state of Virginia braces for what many fear may become Charlottesville Part 2, with 2A activists from around the country descending on Richmond, VA tomorrow,
Monday January 20, 2020 — Martin Luther King Day — it behooves all of us to remember that George Washington won the Revolutionary War with his rag-tag revolutionary fighters, the militia, by outsmarting the mighty British Royal Army, not by out gunning them.

When the Revolutionary War began on April 19, 1775, the British Army was the fiercest, most powerful army in the world. America had very little expectation of winning our lasting freedom from Britain.

However, George Washington was determined, none the less. Washington proved to be a brilliant military tactician, and calculated that if we couldn’t win with guns, with weaponry, we could win with smarts, our intelligence, in this case through deception. Washington masterfully pieced together a covert citizen spy ring, operating out of NYC and Long Island, the secret six. The mission: take back NYC and win the war.

Unbelievably, they succeeded, despite Benedict Arnold’s treasonous plot to turn over West Point to the British. Washington’s success was surely the result of Britain’s absolute faith and reliance on weapons.

So let’s keep this in mind tomorrow. May cooler heads prevail, and be reminded of George Washington’s enduring lesson, the one which our democracy was basically founded upon, that smarts are more valuable and effective than guns. American independence and our American democracy came to fruition through intelligence. Yes, protecting our rights, and acknowledging the rights of Americans to bear arms is very important, but must be filtered through the reality of the lens of modern times. Guns are one of the many tools required to maintain our freedom and secure our nation, of course, but gun rights aren’t meant to come at the exclusion of all else. Rather, they must be balanced alongside everything else. George Washington proved this.~

House, National Security, Trump January 16, 2020January 13, 2021

Devin Nunes: “Watch that flag, it’s going to fall on you.” | Projection

Washington (GGM) Analysis | January 16, 2020 by Noreen Wise

I’ve been waiting for this moment. The moment that Devin Nunes’ bizarre comment to me in the empty hall in Longworth House Office Building, would make more sense.

It was bright and early that Friday morning, November 15, 2019, the second day of impeachment hearings when fired Ukraine Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch shared her compelling testimony. While she was testifying, Trump ambushed Yovanovitch with threatening intimidation tactics launched at her through Twitter.

HillReport1-16-20b — Photographer Noreen Wise

Photographers and reporters, who were in the hall at the crack of dawn that day, were told to stand behind a specified line, with the exception of the media outlet given the coveted location in front of the door. Most independents decided to position themselves in the building lobby or along the other hallway. I had exceptional shots from the first impeachment hearing, so was looking for new opportunities and deduced this second hallway might have been emptied for a reason. I planned to wait here and see what unexpected encounters it might net.

The back hall, behind the line, was deserted. I was standing next to the American flag in front of Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley‘s office door, my Democratic blue coat on the floor at my feet. Three men approached. I recognized one immediately and scrambled to grab my big camera, accidentally hitting the setting knob (without realizing it) and quickly snapped as many photos as possible (so sorry for how they turned out). Nunes proceeded toward me. As soon as he was standing next to me, he turned and said, “Watch that flag, it’s going to fall on you.”

It was such a bewildering comment, that I was stunned, too startled to think of a quick comeback. In less than a minute, he was all the way down the hall and entering the hearing room. I racked my brain. What could this mean? The only logical deduction, was that it was a projection jab, a match for what Nancy Pelosi often refers to when she comments about the GOP’s strange accusations against her.

Definition of Psychological projection, wikipedia: “Psychological projection is a defense mechanism in which the human ego defends itself against unconscious impulses or qualities (both positive and negative) by denying their existence in themselves while attributing them to others. For example, a person who is habitually rude may constantly accuse other people of being rude. It incorporates blame shifting and can manifest as shame dumping.”

HillReport1-16-20c — Photographer Noreen Wise

My hunch is that my blue coat troubled his conscious, causing a visceral reaction. It seemed as though the only people attending the hearings were Democrats, everyone so cheerful and unified now that the impeachment proceedings were well underway. Maybe Nunes had a brutal Day 1, having to walk a very long hallway, lined with Dems jeering at

HillReport1-16-20a — Photographer Noreen Wise

him. Whatever it was that was rumbling through his mind when he saw me next to the American flag positioned above a blue coat in front of Congresswoman Presley’s door, caused him to blurt out a subconscious zinger.

The Tell Tale Heart immediately springs to mind.

Last night, upon listening to Rachel Maddow’s stunning interview with Lev Parnas, and hearing the many shocking details involving DOJ’s William Barr, as well as Devin Nunes, the November 15th comment suddenly makes more sense. In fact, Lev Parnas mentioned in his interview with Rachel how shocked he was to hear Nunes basically lie during the hearings, when Nunes knew that people like Lev could verify his involvement.

“It’s hard to see them lie like that when they knew what was going on.” ~Lev Parnas

Lev’s use of “being on the team” in his interview sums up Nunes to a “T.” Three years of Nunes rolling around in the mud on Trump’s Team, while subconsciously knowing all the while that he was blatantly shunning his duty to the oath of office, yet deep in his soul he seemed to be aware that this twisted, reckless journey would result in him falling on his sword.~

2020, Climate Action, Climate Change, National Security January 3, 2020January 7, 2020

Renewable Portfolio Standard | Solar Energy

Washington (GGM) Analysis | January 3, 2020
by Noreen Wise

State Renewable Portfolio Standards are often the driver behind how quickly residents switch to solar energy. We all must know where our state stands on critical
renewable energy policies that will be the catalyst for how quickly the United States can lower our nation’s carbon footprint. States like Massachusettes, New York, California and Maryland are way out in front, while states like Texas, Florida and G eorgia are at the very bottom, and are several of the country’s largest carbon emitters.

Foreign countries are angry about the largest carbon emitter’s lack of movement in reducing carbon levels and have become staunch advocates against climate injustice. On December 20, 2019, a Dutch court issued a strong warning to world leaders demanding they take climate action to reduce their nation’s carbon footprint or one day be held accountable by victims.

What are Renewable Portfolio Standards?

According to Solar Power Rocks, an exceptional hub of vital information for anyone seeking details about installing solar panels on home or business roofs or property, Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) are state laws requiring that utility companies generate a certain percentage of renewable energy by specific dates. For example, Maryland passed a law in 2019 that requires 50% of it’s energy to be renewable by 2030. this is considered aggressive and quite significant. There are now 170 solar companies that have sprung up in Maryland since the law was passed.

Very exciting to be living in the states that’s a frontrunner. Terrifying to be a resident in a state burying its head in cement, rigidly fixated on the past. This is a matter of life and death.~

Climate Action, Climate Change, Environment, National Security December 24, 2019April 17, 2022

FINALLY! Ketchup Packaged In Glass | New Brands

Washington (GGM) Analysis | April 17, 2022 by Noreen Wise | Reprint from December 24, 2019

Exciting update on the “Ketchup in a glass bottle sold locally” saga, a tale that has reached a positive outcome in just five weeks. Five weeks is a very short period of time to go from 0 to 60. This proves that social media is a very powerful solutions driver.

Continue reading →

Climate Action, Climate Change, Health, National Security, Nature December 21, 2019April 26, 2020

So Many Beautiful & Exciting Possibilities | Cutting Carbon

Washington (GGM) Analysis | December 21, 2019
by Noreen Wise

“Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine to the soul.” ~Luther Burbank

And flowers cut carbon too! Flower boxes in the windows of our homes and businesses, and hanging baskets from street lights, will add yet another layer of nature to absorb carbon. We need as much help as we can get. It’s another exceptional tool in our climate action tool shed that will reap a wave of benefits, improving both our atmospheric carbon levels, and our quality of life.

Will flower boxes in the windows of the majority of homes and businesses increase property values? I guess we’ll find out as soon as we begin a window flower box campaign.

BrightSide-350SquarePocastLogo-NEWEST — PODCAST- daily conversation that focuses on how to turn negative circumstances into positives and land on the bright side.

According to BestLife, flowers:

Reduce stress
Elevate mood
Strengthen relationships
Increase memory
Certain flowers can help us fall asleep
Help us heal

Not only do flowers absorb CO2, they’re also air purifiers, absorbing pollutants such as benzene, acetone, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.

We can do this! Warm weather climates can begin today. The rest of us can begin planning today so we’re ready to spring into action as soon as the weather breaks. 🌺

Climate Action, Climate Change, Environment, National Security December 20, 2019January 7, 2020

EV Charging Stations | Retail & Restaurant Parking Lots ROCK!

Washington (GGM) Analysis | December 20, 2019
by Noreen Wise

The new year is here. Thinking of all that can be accomplished on the Climate Action front makes my head spin. Way at the top of the list is EV cars, which means EV charging
stations are going to be on everyone’s minds.

Savvy business owners and managers who have parking lots can take advantage of this consumer need by installing a handful of charging stations in their parking lots. It seems that this is what everyone has been talking about at holiday parties this year. Where do you charge your car?

One woman I spoke with lives in a complex that doesn’t yet have charging stations, so she has to be sure to charge in town. She now LOVES Walgreens because they have charging stations. She makes plans to charge while she shops. It was likely that she rarely shopped at Walgreens before buying an EV, but now, it’s her favorite store in the world. And she always spends money, every single week.

Wide open green fields for marketing, literally. And the best part about this unique opportunity, is that EV owners who charge when visiting a store, feels immense gratitude. The most passionate, heartfelt kind of deep appreciation, almost an indebtedness, the way we feel towards heroes. They’ll likely feel inspired to say “yes” to a promotion opportunity rather than “no.”

When restaurants and retailers everywhere begin adding charging stations to parking lots, we’ll see EV sales go through the roof, and the atmospheric carbon levels drop. Win/win! In certain regions, businesses can find sizable grants to help cover the cost. Good Luck!~