Tea Party on Global Warming Hoax

http://www.tpnn.com/2014/03/17/weather-channel-founder-explains-the-history-of-the-global-warming-hoax/

Long presentation with a low budget, trying to disprove arguments supporting humans' role in climate change.

The Economic Argument

I would appreciate more numbers here to grasp the economic impact (both in doing and NOT doing something), but a good example of the economic argument supporting mitigation efforts: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/22/opinion/sunday/lessons-for-climate-change-in-the-2008-recession.html?_r=1

Simulation as visualization of theory

"Theory is an abstraction of reality, a way of framing, modeling, and understanding what is observed to be happening (Littlejohn and Foss, 2011)" (Sellnow and Seeger - Theorizing Crisis Communication).
Thought: are games/simulation a theory of what they simulate?

Not real can tell us about real

Oryx and Crake, Atwood,  p. 102: "in the beginning,  there was chaos. Show us chaos, please oh snowman! Show us a picture of choas! They'd struggled with pictures at first. Is it real? No, it is not real. What is this not real? Not real can tell us about real."

Rhetorical situation.

Jimmie Killingsworth on why environmental discourse is linked to ancient concerns with communication and deliberation.  Provides rationale for my class/dissertation. 

LiDAR

Compare to other flood maps. Looks like the most photorealistic on the market.

Audience wants solutions

According to chat with media specialist for Georgetown Climate center, audiences can only be educated so much. At a point it becomes depressing and exasperating. Audiences want solutions and they want to be heard.

SWaTH Network

Data analyzed by FEMA or other orgs to consider allocation of resources and loss assessment. Modelers need additional data such as wetlands or other specific landforms.
Info is dated because they have to go collect it. There's a push for realtime info.
USGs stormtide map: can pull up current and historic data.

ClimateCentral

Interactive Web tools: Western wildfire, storm and sewage, heat across the nation, and sea level rise/coastal flooding. Can be used as a point of reference.
Maps are a "rough cut" as there are many factors: tidal/storm surge, rainfall.
Social vulnerability layer? Used by NOAA to measure community ability to respond to flood.
Property value: based on 2008/9 #s (really?)
Forecasting method: they recognize there is much current research on modeling. Assuming storm trends continue, estimate risk as a baseline analysis.
Can choose different models from different sources.
Provides peer reviewed science. Have students read those docs and explore the researchers.
Federal data sets, property and infrastructure to analyze risk.
Georgetown climate change has a clearinghouse of info.

Ideas

Norfolk muni site, maps. Analyze pitfalls. Lots of info but designed for insurance. How to redesign brochures for educational purposes that might serve as a first step.

Even more data + maps!

http://www.data.gov/climate/

M0ar data!

http://www.globalchange.gov/browse/datasets

Data!

http://www.climate.gov/

Survey on sea level rise

http://surveymonkey.com/s/MTS_Adaptation
Examine for our own survey. No funding? Maybe borrow this data?

Uncertain language in CC reporting

STUDY: US Reporters Use More Weasel Words in Covering Climate Change | Mother Jones

Study on language of reporting, suggesting US uses most doubtful language.

An argument against forecasting models

The Daily Caller
Interestingly, the same dramatic tone is used to describe left-wing uses of data: we'll all freeze or starve, etc.
Argues that forecasting models are wrong, problematizing political decision-making.
Thought: use the Dr.Seuss book about two travelers who meet and refuse to step aside.
Cosmos episode on the politicizing of scientific research and lead? Just collecting ideas...

President aiming for 30% cut in emissions

Obama defends new carbon emission rules in face of mounting backlash | Environment | The Guardian
I found this to be politically balanced, showing the economic impact of a historic move toward lower emissions.  Because it shows the political debate well, it has me thinking students should base survey questions on their readings to collect opinions that will really shape the last assignment well.
What this article makes me wonder about is impact.  How will it improve environmental conditions?  Estimates? How will it impact jobs, exactly?  Estimates?  Can you estimate that accurately? Fairly?

Norfolk policy article revisited

Norfolk, VA. Going, Going, Gone Underwater.
Definitely using in class as a comparison to the other Norfolk SLR article.  As a liberal blog, the language is much more dramatic with block quotes from the other article and additional interpretation and a touch of finger pointing.

Interactive SLR Map

Surging Seas / Cities / Virginia Beach, Virginia
Definitely using in class to discuss maps as a form of visual risk communication.
This map has its usability flaws: difficulty locating a specific street, initial confusion about the meaning of the colors, lack of clear explanation on the map page. It's one of the best I've come across, though.

Norfolk discussions about retreat and adaptation.

In Norfolk, evidence of climate change is in the streets at high tide - The Washington Post

Excellent local case of an economic argument about the current impact of climate change and sea level rise and a few (just a few) efforts to adapt. Mostly it shows a negative outlook.