Rich Calhoun
@richcalhoun.bsky.social
Environmental science teacher and developer of sustainable businesses and housing in rural New England mill towns.
Great night talking about wind turbine fact and fiction with a dozen high school students while on dorm duty tonight. I feel very lucky to teach kids who can scream at the Bills v Ravens game and pivot with an interesting question about marine sound pollution. Lots of new wind energy fans, go Bills!
September 8, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Great night talking about wind turbine fact and fiction with a dozen high school students while on dorm duty tonight. I feel very lucky to teach kids who can scream at the Bills v Ravens game and pivot with an interesting question about marine sound pollution. Lots of new wind energy fans, go Bills!
The easiest way to mitigate so many climate impacts in the U.S. is to significantly increase the number of beavers. The postglacial American landscape was built by beavers.
So simple, but folks look at you funny when you say it out loud.
So simple, but folks look at you funny when you say it out loud.
August 18, 2025 at 1:17 AM
The easiest way to mitigate so many climate impacts in the U.S. is to significantly increase the number of beavers. The postglacial American landscape was built by beavers.
So simple, but folks look at you funny when you say it out loud.
So simple, but folks look at you funny when you say it out loud.
And they kept bragging about how much money went to red states, even as those politicians ripped the IRA/IIJA apart! It won Dems zero Senate or House seats and punished blue districts by steering investors away from blue/purple regions. Our projects in rural ME mill towns are now failing.
June 28, 2025 at 9:35 PM
And they kept bragging about how much money went to red states, even as those politicians ripped the IRA/IIJA apart! It won Dems zero Senate or House seats and punished blue districts by steering investors away from blue/purple regions. Our projects in rural ME mill towns are now failing.
Until proven otherwise, the Permian Basin is busted. The wells aren’t coming back.
Good riddance, I hope the coming economic uncertainty sinks the rest of the industry.
Good riddance, I hope the coming economic uncertainty sinks the rest of the industry.
May 22, 2025 at 1:30 AM
Until proven otherwise, the Permian Basin is busted. The wells aren’t coming back.
Good riddance, I hope the coming economic uncertainty sinks the rest of the industry.
Good riddance, I hope the coming economic uncertainty sinks the rest of the industry.
The Biden admin unleashed funding for the Oil&Gas industry, the auto industry and red districts, which drove investment in blue districts down significantly. The last few years in our rural mill town have been brutal as we’ve tried to access IRA $ with little success.
Dems chose this outcome.
Dems chose this outcome.
May 13, 2025 at 11:21 PM
The Biden admin unleashed funding for the Oil&Gas industry, the auto industry and red districts, which drove investment in blue districts down significantly. The last few years in our rural mill town have been brutal as we’ve tried to access IRA $ with little success.
Dems chose this outcome.
Dems chose this outcome.
Dem leadership and centrist climate folks assured us that investing most of the IRA/CHIPS $ into red districts would ensure the funding’s protection. While it seems the Senate may ultimately preserve some IRA funding, much will be lost. Our mill towns got relatively little support, it’s frustrating.
May 13, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Dem leadership and centrist climate folks assured us that investing most of the IRA/CHIPS $ into red districts would ensure the funding’s protection. While it seems the Senate may ultimately preserve some IRA funding, much will be lost. Our mill towns got relatively little support, it’s frustrating.
Farewell IRA, we hardly knew you.
90% of IRA spending went to red districts while blue states faced a quagmire of competitive grants and means-testing to get funding. If Dems ever hold power again, they need an entirely different approach. Somewhere in DC, Sinema and Manchin are laughing.
90% of IRA spending went to red districts while blue states faced a quagmire of competitive grants and means-testing to get funding. If Dems ever hold power again, they need an entirely different approach. Somewhere in DC, Sinema and Manchin are laughing.
May 12, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Farewell IRA, we hardly knew you.
90% of IRA spending went to red districts while blue states faced a quagmire of competitive grants and means-testing to get funding. If Dems ever hold power again, they need an entirely different approach. Somewhere in DC, Sinema and Manchin are laughing.
90% of IRA spending went to red districts while blue states faced a quagmire of competitive grants and means-testing to get funding. If Dems ever hold power again, they need an entirely different approach. Somewhere in DC, Sinema and Manchin are laughing.
An infuriating reminder that President Biden refused to use his authority to declare a climate emergency or energy emergency in order to fast track renewables. The IRA was never enough and an emergency declaration could’ve focused on direct support for people, not just tax credits.
April 19, 2025 at 2:09 AM
An infuriating reminder that President Biden refused to use his authority to declare a climate emergency or energy emergency in order to fast track renewables. The IRA was never enough and an emergency declaration could’ve focused on direct support for people, not just tax credits.
The Oil&Gas industry is not happy about the direction we're headed in. Comments from the Dallas Fed survey of industry stakeholders indicate that US production is likely going to drop. Not sure if that's the best plan to reduce emissions, but, it might happen. www.dallasfed.org/research/sur...
March 27, 2025 at 3:04 AM
The Oil&Gas industry is not happy about the direction we're headed in. Comments from the Dallas Fed survey of industry stakeholders indicate that US production is likely going to drop. Not sure if that's the best plan to reduce emissions, but, it might happen. www.dallasfed.org/research/sur...
Governor Janet Mills is a badass.
Maine is wise to have chosen her to lead in this time. Dirigo!
Maine is wise to have chosen her to lead in this time. Dirigo!
March 24, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Governor Janet Mills is a badass.
Maine is wise to have chosen her to lead in this time. Dirigo!
Maine is wise to have chosen her to lead in this time. Dirigo!
My new favorite Marin kids bike that we carry at the shop! 🇺🇦
March 12, 2025 at 6:36 PM
My new favorite Marin kids bike that we carry at the shop! 🇺🇦
One thing both administrations have in common: they both love shitty, overpriced EVs that make America less safe and don’t offset emissions or air pollution much at all.
March 11, 2025 at 9:40 PM
One thing both administrations have in common: they both love shitty, overpriced EVs that make America less safe and don’t offset emissions or air pollution much at all.
“Maine Sea Grant’s federal investment of $1.5 million in 2023 resulted in an economic benefit of $23.5 million.”
This would be an incredible opportunity for impact investors and institutions to fill the critical gaps created by this administration’s punitive cuts.
This would be an incredible opportunity for impact investors and institutions to fill the critical gaps created by this administration’s punitive cuts.
March 3, 2025 at 2:40 AM
“Maine Sea Grant’s federal investment of $1.5 million in 2023 resulted in an economic benefit of $23.5 million.”
This would be an incredible opportunity for impact investors and institutions to fill the critical gaps created by this administration’s punitive cuts.
This would be an incredible opportunity for impact investors and institutions to fill the critical gaps created by this administration’s punitive cuts.
I just got back from coaching at the U.S. Squash Center near Drexel/UPenn. It might not be worth a trip (squash is a niche sport) but it is remarkable how well they transformed an old armory into a world class venue.
February 27, 2025 at 1:34 AM
I just got back from coaching at the U.S. Squash Center near Drexel/UPenn. It might not be worth a trip (squash is a niche sport) but it is remarkable how well they transformed an old armory into a world class venue.
It’s been 2.5 years since Massachusetts passed ebike rebates and the state still hasn’t issued any program details. Our leaders are uninterested in actual progress and our state agencies are beholden to the industries that hold us back.
February 19, 2025 at 2:51 AM
It’s been 2.5 years since Massachusetts passed ebike rebates and the state still hasn’t issued any program details. Our leaders are uninterested in actual progress and our state agencies are beholden to the industries that hold us back.
My youngest son wouldn’t be here today w/o research funded by the NIH. His life, and the lives of countless other children, still relies on the miracles performed every day at Children’s in Boston and across 🇺🇸. These cuts to the best and brightest in our medical fields cannot stand.
February 9, 2025 at 9:45 PM
My youngest son wouldn’t be here today w/o research funded by the NIH. His life, and the lives of countless other children, still relies on the miracles performed every day at Children’s in Boston and across 🇺🇸. These cuts to the best and brightest in our medical fields cannot stand.
We’re still fighting gas expansion projects across the state in EJ communities like Springfield. Enbridge says they’re just “upgrading” the existing AGT but it will expand capacity, it would be great to hear from the DPU. Our community has struggled w/ the DPU, they don’t always act in good faith.
February 5, 2025 at 11:42 PM
We’re still fighting gas expansion projects across the state in EJ communities like Springfield. Enbridge says they’re just “upgrading” the existing AGT but it will expand capacity, it would be great to hear from the DPU. Our community has struggled w/ the DPU, they don’t always act in good faith.
Calvinball as a governing strategy is going to be tedious.
January 28, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Calvinball as a governing strategy is going to be tedious.
Estimates have a wide range but 200M-300M is in the ballpark. Currently, we’re at 6-12M. NM and Southern CA used to have widespread wetlands, losing beavers had a major impact on fire ecology and hydrology. I know it’s Quixotic, but our goal is to lift their populations as high as we can!
January 26, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Estimates have a wide range but 200M-300M is in the ballpark. Currently, we’re at 6-12M. NM and Southern CA used to have widespread wetlands, losing beavers had a major impact on fire ecology and hydrology. I know it’s Quixotic, but our goal is to lift their populations as high as we can!