Climate Disconnect
@climate-disconnect.bsky.social
Highlighting the gap between what we know about climate change, and what we're actually doing about it.
Also, just a guy with beavers in his backyard (thanks to a stream) so expect random beaver news.
Also, just a guy with beavers in his backyard (thanks to a stream) so expect random beaver news.
Another COP predictably ends in failure -- with no call to curb fossil fuels -- but @dpcarrington.bsky.social and colleagues at the Guardian laughably spin it as "end of fossil fuel era inches closer." In reality, only more promises for more climate finance. So: business as usual. (1/2)
November 22, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Another COP predictably ends in failure -- with no call to curb fossil fuels -- but @dpcarrington.bsky.social and colleagues at the Guardian laughably spin it as "end of fossil fuel era inches closer." In reality, only more promises for more climate finance. So: business as usual. (1/2)
The evening view out our back door.
November 20, 2025 at 11:15 PM
The evening view out our back door.
Well, up until today we thought we had one new beaver move back in, but this evening there were 2 of them -- one larger, one smaller -- swimming around in our house pond. The background sound is the stream behind me, where their dam and lodge are. Turn up volume to hear him (or her?) chewing. (1/2)
November 19, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Well, up until today we thought we had one new beaver move back in, but this evening there were 2 of them -- one larger, one smaller -- swimming around in our house pond. The background sound is the stream behind me, where their dam and lodge are. Turn up volume to hear him (or her?) chewing. (1/2)
This young beaver moved in about a week ago, taking over the lodge and dam left behind by the beaver family that moved out this past spring. He's swimming in our "house pond," next to the stream where his dam/lodge are. We're worried because there wasn't much food left by the departing family. 1/2
November 19, 2025 at 1:53 AM
This young beaver moved in about a week ago, taking over the lodge and dam left behind by the beaver family that moved out this past spring. He's swimming in our "house pond," next to the stream where his dam/lodge are. We're worried because there wasn't much food left by the departing family. 1/2
My latest Politico Weekly Agriculture e-newsletter was sponsored today by tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds. No mention of lung cancer though.
November 17, 2025 at 8:07 PM
My latest Politico Weekly Agriculture e-newsletter was sponsored today by tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds. No mention of lung cancer though.
But ... blockchain!
"Donald Trump’s family business and its Saudi partner are to build a luxury Maldives resort that uses blockchain technology to attract investment..."
Meanwhile:
'"Our islands are slowly being inundated by the sea, one by one," said the president of the Maldives...."'
"Donald Trump’s family business and its Saudi partner are to build a luxury Maldives resort that uses blockchain technology to attract investment..."
Meanwhile:
'"Our islands are slowly being inundated by the sea, one by one," said the president of the Maldives...."'
November 17, 2025 at 3:59 PM
But ... blockchain!
"Donald Trump’s family business and its Saudi partner are to build a luxury Maldives resort that uses blockchain technology to attract investment..."
Meanwhile:
'"Our islands are slowly being inundated by the sea, one by one," said the president of the Maldives...."'
"Donald Trump’s family business and its Saudi partner are to build a luxury Maldives resort that uses blockchain technology to attract investment..."
Meanwhile:
'"Our islands are slowly being inundated by the sea, one by one," said the president of the Maldives...."'
Also from the IEA's World Energy Outlook 2025: human population still growing by 70 million people every year between now and 2035. So for all the hand-wringing by economists, billionaire bros and politicians about "population collapse," the reality is a human overpopulation problem.
November 16, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Also from the IEA's World Energy Outlook 2025: human population still growing by 70 million people every year between now and 2035. So for all the hand-wringing by economists, billionaire bros and politicians about "population collapse," the reality is a human overpopulation problem.
The IEA's World Energy Outlook 2025 shows that under current policies, oil demand increases by 2035. Even under the wildly optimistic "stated policies" scenario -- including policies "that have been formally put forward but not yet adopted" -- oil demand doesn't drop but still increases a bit.
November 16, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The IEA's World Energy Outlook 2025 shows that under current policies, oil demand increases by 2035. Even under the wildly optimistic "stated policies" scenario -- including policies "that have been formally put forward but not yet adopted" -- oil demand doesn't drop but still increases a bit.
What our world looked like here this morning.
November 14, 2025 at 10:21 PM
What our world looked like here this morning.
Carbon Brief's headline is based on "stated policies" by gov'ts, i.e. promises. Reality is on the right.
"Despite their promises, governments’ new emission-cutting plans ... have done little to avert dangerous global heating for the 4th consecutive year, according to the Climate Action Tracker."
"Despite their promises, governments’ new emission-cutting plans ... have done little to avert dangerous global heating for the 4th consecutive year, according to the Climate Action Tracker."
November 13, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Carbon Brief's headline is based on "stated policies" by gov'ts, i.e. promises. Reality is on the right.
"Despite their promises, governments’ new emission-cutting plans ... have done little to avert dangerous global heating for the 4th consecutive year, according to the Climate Action Tracker."
"Despite their promises, governments’ new emission-cutting plans ... have done little to avert dangerous global heating for the 4th consecutive year, according to the Climate Action Tracker."
Wise words from one of the authors of Limits to Growth.
November 12, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Wise words from one of the authors of Limits to Growth.
Believe it or not, Carbon Brief and the Financial Times are reporting on the exact same IEA report. One is the hopium spin, the other is the brutal reality. Carbon Brief is going with the "stated policies" scenario -- i.e., climate promises -- and the FT with the "current policies" scenario.
November 12, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Believe it or not, Carbon Brief and the Financial Times are reporting on the exact same IEA report. One is the hopium spin, the other is the brutal reality. Carbon Brief is going with the "stated policies" scenario -- i.e., climate promises -- and the FT with the "current policies" scenario.
Oh gosh, the little dears have been busy in the past week! Not as many hang-ups as the week before, so their success rate is growing. I was able to pull down the yellow birch in the foreground for them, plus another one farther back, but a couple were too big or too wedged for me to do by hand.
November 9, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Oh gosh, the little dears have been busy in the past week! Not as many hang-ups as the week before, so their success rate is growing. I was able to pull down the yellow birch in the foreground for them, plus another one farther back, but a couple were too big or too wedged for me to do by hand.
(2/2) To keep the road level, a road crew foolishly dug a hole in the stream bed to lower the culvert into, so it's 3/4ths full of water even in drought. So we have to manage the water levels behind this new dam so it doesn't completely fill the culvert. Actual problem is the culvert, not beavers.
November 9, 2025 at 8:33 PM
(2/2) To keep the road level, a road crew foolishly dug a hole in the stream bed to lower the culvert into, so it's 3/4ths full of water even in drought. So we have to manage the water levels behind this new dam so it doesn't completely fill the culvert. Actual problem is the culvert, not beavers.
Another cold, wet day for more beaver dam maintenance. This is the lower dam that is just downstream of our road culvert. We have 3 beaver deceiver pipes in it, but beavers just started trying to plug up one of them, so we're installing finer mesh fencing around the original wire panel. (1/2)
November 9, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Another cold, wet day for more beaver dam maintenance. This is the lower dam that is just downstream of our road culvert. We have 3 beaver deceiver pipes in it, but beavers just started trying to plug up one of them, so we're installing finer mesh fencing around the original wire panel. (1/2)
Hey @nytpitchbot.bsky.social, they're working hard this morning trying to compete with you.
November 9, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Hey @nytpitchbot.bsky.social, they're working hard this morning trying to compete with you.
(5/5) Finally, there's maintenance to keep the pipes open. There are lots of sticks and leaves in the pond behind the dam, and they can get sucked in and partially plug up a pipe. We use the long handle of our snow sweep (for clearing snow off our solar panels) to clear out any debris.
November 5, 2025 at 9:12 PM
(5/5) Finally, there's maintenance to keep the pipes open. There are lots of sticks and leaves in the pond behind the dam, and they can get sucked in and partially plug up a pipe. We use the long handle of our snow sweep (for clearing snow off our solar panels) to clear out any debris.
Last step is to fill the breach as much as we can with the material we pulled out to make room for the pipe. This helps secure the new pipe in place but also makes it a lot easier for the beavers to come back tonight and tighten it all up. All they'll have to do now is pack some mud into it. (4/5)
November 5, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Last step is to fill the breach as much as we can with the material we pulled out to make room for the pipe. This helps secure the new pipe in place but also makes it a lot easier for the beavers to come back tonight and tighten it all up. All they'll have to do now is pack some mud into it. (4/5)
The logs on the cage are to help hold it down in case it gets jostled by beavers or stream flow. Air temp was 37° (3°C) and water temp not much warmer. I was probably in the water for 90 minutes between both dams. Those arm length fur trapper gloves I was wearing really helped today! (3/5)
November 5, 2025 at 9:12 PM
The logs on the cage are to help hold it down in case it gets jostled by beavers or stream flow. Air temp was 37° (3°C) and water temp not much warmer. I was probably in the water for 90 minutes between both dams. Those arm length fur trapper gloves I was wearing really helped today! (3/5)
First step was using the green handled garden cultivator to clear a breach in the dam next to the existing pipe to make room for the second one. Then cut a hole in the wire cage that keeps beavers from plugging up the pipes. Here I'm about to slide the pipe into the cage to see how it fits. (2/5)
November 5, 2025 at 9:12 PM
First step was using the green handled garden cultivator to clear a breach in the dam next to the existing pipe to make room for the second one. Then cut a hole in the wire cage that keeps beavers from plugging up the pipes. Here I'm about to slide the pipe into the cage to see how it fits. (2/5)
We're still adjusting the flows at our beaver dams because of the rain we keep having. Today we installed 2 more beaver deceiver pipes to lower the pond levels to protect the road, making sure it's still deep enough for the beavers. Here I'm adding a pipe to the upper dam. (1/5)
November 5, 2025 at 9:12 PM
We're still adjusting the flows at our beaver dams because of the rain we keep having. Today we installed 2 more beaver deceiver pipes to lower the pond levels to protect the road, making sure it's still deep enough for the beavers. Here I'm adding a pipe to the upper dam. (1/5)
Your daily dose of climate reality. Something else is going up, too. Fossil fuel consumption.
November 4, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Your daily dose of climate reality. Something else is going up, too. Fossil fuel consumption.
Somehow the hope merchants never seem to notice reality. Fossil fuels keep going up, too.
November 4, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Somehow the hope merchants never seem to notice reality. Fossil fuels keep going up, too.
Larches (tamaracks) catching the setting sun this evening. After all the other fall colors are gone, the larches are still golden. Won't last much longer, though. White pines to the left getting some of that fading sun, too.
November 2, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Larches (tamaracks) catching the setting sun this evening. After all the other fall colors are gone, the larches are still golden. Won't last much longer, though. White pines to the left getting some of that fading sun, too.
(4/4) Here's what it looked like after we finished. The beavers never bother the outlet end of the pipes, which is why they aren't in cages.
By the way, they dropped that tree over the dam a few nights ago -- it doesn't make it any easier when we have to work on the dam!
By the way, they dropped that tree over the dam a few nights ago -- it doesn't make it any easier when we have to work on the dam!
November 2, 2025 at 7:46 PM
(4/4) Here's what it looked like after we finished. The beavers never bother the outlet end of the pipes, which is why they aren't in cages.
By the way, they dropped that tree over the dam a few nights ago -- it doesn't make it any easier when we have to work on the dam!
By the way, they dropped that tree over the dam a few nights ago -- it doesn't make it any easier when we have to work on the dam!