Roger Aines
@rogeraines.bsky.social
Carbon removal, photography, science communication. Check out the book Championing Science by Amy Aines and me. Most of my birds live in Livermore, California.
Three horned owls this evening on my house and nearby trees! 🪶
November 16, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Three horned owls this evening on my house and nearby trees! 🪶
One of the great joys of a small pond here in Northern California is that the big birds like it too. Even owls at night, but this Cooper's hawk is a regular 🪶
November 6, 2025 at 7:03 PM
One of the great joys of a small pond here in Northern California is that the big birds like it too. Even owls at night, but this Cooper's hawk is a regular 🪶
IEA analysis via Carbonbrief.org shows reduction in imported fossil fuels for 100 countries.
Climate sure, but the balance of payments are better "...saved more than $1.3tn between 2010 and 2023 that would otherwise have been spent on fossil fuels from overseas"
www.carbonbrief.org/iea-renewabl...
Climate sure, but the balance of payments are better "...saved more than $1.3tn between 2010 and 2023 that would otherwise have been spent on fossil fuels from overseas"
www.carbonbrief.org/iea-renewabl...
October 23, 2025 at 2:24 PM
IEA analysis via Carbonbrief.org shows reduction in imported fossil fuels for 100 countries.
Climate sure, but the balance of payments are better "...saved more than $1.3tn between 2010 and 2023 that would otherwise have been spent on fossil fuels from overseas"
www.carbonbrief.org/iea-renewabl...
Climate sure, but the balance of payments are better "...saved more than $1.3tn between 2010 and 2023 that would otherwise have been spent on fossil fuels from overseas"
www.carbonbrief.org/iea-renewabl...
While we are discussing useful things (or not) done by the U.S.: 1/4 of our tobacco production is shipped to China.
wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtra...
wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtra...
October 21, 2025 at 7:03 PM
While we are discussing useful things (or not) done by the U.S.: 1/4 of our tobacco production is shipped to China.
wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtra...
wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtra...
In a classic conflict of environmental outcomes, I find myself cheering for sunny days that fully charge my batteries, while bemoaning the lack of rain to sustain my native plants. All moderated by my love of fall hummingbirds enjoying my Mexican sage.
The world is not simple but there is joy. 🪶
The world is not simple but there is joy. 🪶
October 20, 2025 at 4:23 PM
In a classic conflict of environmental outcomes, I find myself cheering for sunny days that fully charge my batteries, while bemoaning the lack of rain to sustain my native plants. All moderated by my love of fall hummingbirds enjoying my Mexican sage.
The world is not simple but there is joy. 🪶
The world is not simple but there is joy. 🪶
Great light for hummingbirds 🪶 this morning. A handful are hanging out in my sycamores, desert willow, and mexican sage. I see these out my office window, so if I am ignoring you on a zoom, they might be the cause!
October 11, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Great light for hummingbirds 🪶 this morning. A handful are hanging out in my sycamores, desert willow, and mexican sage. I see these out my office window, so if I am ignoring you on a zoom, they might be the cause!
Hummingbird yoga. In my front yard this morning. 🪶
October 11, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Hummingbird yoga. In my front yard this morning. 🪶
Mt Fuji from my Tokyo hotel room this week. As many times as I have been there, I have never seen it from the city. It must have been spectacular before urban haze obscured it most of the time.
October 11, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Mt Fuji from my Tokyo hotel room this week. As many times as I have been there, I have never seen it from the city. It must have been spectacular before urban haze obscured it most of the time.
I think a lot about why we are not making more progress on climate. This graph from the Yale Program on Climate Change is telling - there are just too many more urgent problems. And I can't really argue with this outcome.
climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications...
climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications...
September 18, 2025 at 3:16 PM
I think a lot about why we are not making more progress on climate. This graph from the Yale Program on Climate Change is telling - there are just too many more urgent problems. And I can't really argue with this outcome.
climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications...
climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications...
More from @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social and @carbonbrief.org on China. Total carbon emissions in China are roughly flat. Actually decreased a little. They think there are some reasons it will go up a bit in the next years, but the 2030 goal of peak emissions for China seems in range.
August 21, 2025 at 5:54 PM
More from @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social and @carbonbrief.org on China. Total carbon emissions in China are roughly flat. Actually decreased a little. They think there are some reasons it will go up a bit in the next years, but the 2030 goal of peak emissions for China seems in range.
Solid new analysis of China from the best source - @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social and @carbonbrief.org . Lauri has been the best China energy analyst for years.
He shows that in the first half of 2025, new clean sources greatly exceeded electricity demand.
www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-rec...
He shows that in the first half of 2025, new clean sources greatly exceeded electricity demand.
www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-rec...
August 21, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Solid new analysis of China from the best source - @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social and @carbonbrief.org . Lauri has been the best China energy analyst for years.
He shows that in the first half of 2025, new clean sources greatly exceeded electricity demand.
www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-rec...
He shows that in the first half of 2025, new clean sources greatly exceeded electricity demand.
www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-rec...
Great advice from the folks at
@yaleclimatecomm.bsky.social:
✔️Engage audiences when awareness is highest
✔️Use high-impact events as entry points
✔️Help support the most under-prepared populations
✔️Show how today’s disasters are different–and why that matters
mailchi.mp/yale/what-pr...
@yaleclimatecomm.bsky.social:
✔️Engage audiences when awareness is highest
✔️Use high-impact events as entry points
✔️Help support the most under-prepared populations
✔️Show how today’s disasters are different–and why that matters
mailchi.mp/yale/what-pr...
July 31, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Great advice from the folks at
@yaleclimatecomm.bsky.social:
✔️Engage audiences when awareness is highest
✔️Use high-impact events as entry points
✔️Help support the most under-prepared populations
✔️Show how today’s disasters are different–and why that matters
mailchi.mp/yale/what-pr...
@yaleclimatecomm.bsky.social:
✔️Engage audiences when awareness is highest
✔️Use high-impact events as entry points
✔️Help support the most under-prepared populations
✔️Show how today’s disasters are different–and why that matters
mailchi.mp/yale/what-pr...
Success! My native Hitch (or is it a Roach - hard to tell these minnows apart) doesn't look to happy. There are quite a few of these in the small pond. But this is real full-on Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom stuff in my yard. 🪶😱
July 24, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Success! My native Hitch (or is it a Roach - hard to tell these minnows apart) doesn't look to happy. There are quite a few of these in the small pond. But this is real full-on Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom stuff in my yard. 🪶😱
My backyard pond provides endless entertainment from native wildlife - especially in a suburb. Today was pretty special with a visit from our great white egret. But wait for it...🪶
July 24, 2025 at 4:29 PM
My backyard pond provides endless entertainment from native wildlife - especially in a suburb. Today was pretty special with a visit from our great white egret. But wait for it...🪶
When I was a child I would have regarded these holes in my Sycamores (platanus racemosa) as pest damage.
Now I realize that these are the result of the native insects - and that the native songbirds depend on them to feed their babies. Nature can be a hard sell, but everyone likes songbirds. 🪶
Now I realize that these are the result of the native insects - and that the native songbirds depend on them to feed their babies. Nature can be a hard sell, but everyone likes songbirds. 🪶
June 24, 2025 at 11:48 PM
When I was a child I would have regarded these holes in my Sycamores (platanus racemosa) as pest damage.
Now I realize that these are the result of the native insects - and that the native songbirds depend on them to feed their babies. Nature can be a hard sell, but everyone likes songbirds. 🪶
Now I realize that these are the result of the native insects - and that the native songbirds depend on them to feed their babies. Nature can be a hard sell, but everyone likes songbirds. 🪶
When I was in college at Carleton in Minnesota, the state was loosing all its elm trees. I worked for a tree service in the summer and learned that with heroic measures, big trees could be saved. I talked the school into doing some - and here I am 50 years later with one of those trees. I'm proud.
June 19, 2025 at 6:29 PM
When I was in college at Carleton in Minnesota, the state was loosing all its elm trees. I worked for a tree service in the summer and learned that with heroic measures, big trees could be saved. I talked the school into doing some - and here I am 50 years later with one of those trees. I'm proud.
Dragonfly season is here! Our pond is a great nursery for them. This is the first 8-spotted of the year. Saw a flame skimmer last week.
Nature is worth preserving, at the backyard or at any larger scale.
Nature is worth preserving, at the backyard or at any larger scale.
May 20, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Dragonfly season is here! Our pond is a great nursery for them. This is the first 8-spotted of the year. Saw a flame skimmer last week.
Nature is worth preserving, at the backyard or at any larger scale.
Nature is worth preserving, at the backyard or at any larger scale.
On world bee day, a challenge to add native plants to your yard. Many native bees are pretty specific on plants they forage on. In California, my sages, nightshades, penstemons, and of course poppies host a dozen native bees.
All of which, btw, are completely indifferent to me.
#bees 🐝
All of which, btw, are completely indifferent to me.
#bees 🐝
May 20, 2025 at 3:37 PM
On world bee day, a challenge to add native plants to your yard. Many native bees are pretty specific on plants they forage on. In California, my sages, nightshades, penstemons, and of course poppies host a dozen native bees.
All of which, btw, are completely indifferent to me.
#bees 🐝
All of which, btw, are completely indifferent to me.
#bees 🐝
The Horse-Fly Carpenter Bees in my backyard love to steal nectar from the penstemon flowers. Multiple bees use the same hole in the base to suck out the nectar. Larger bees like the Valley Carpenter Bee will crawl inside, and complete the pollination along with dessert.
May 17, 2025 at 11:10 PM
The Horse-Fly Carpenter Bees in my backyard love to steal nectar from the penstemon flowers. Multiple bees use the same hole in the base to suck out the nectar. Larger bees like the Valley Carpenter Bee will crawl inside, and complete the pollination along with dessert.
Anna's hummingbird chasing my backyard gnats tonight. Apparently most of a hummingbird's diet is actually insects - nectar is dessert.
#birds 🪶
#birds 🪶
May 13, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Anna's hummingbird chasing my backyard gnats tonight. Apparently most of a hummingbird's diet is actually insects - nectar is dessert.
#birds 🪶
#birds 🪶
We don't yet know which carbon removal methods will work, or be acceptable, or be affordable.
The good news is that there are six major ways and hundreds of variations. We could use them all, but can get by with less. We need to know which ones we like, and only real world testing can tell us.
The good news is that there are six major ways and hundreds of variations. We could use them all, but can get by with less. We need to know which ones we like, and only real world testing can tell us.
April 23, 2025 at 5:32 PM
We don't yet know which carbon removal methods will work, or be acceptable, or be affordable.
The good news is that there are six major ways and hundreds of variations. We could use them all, but can get by with less. We need to know which ones we like, and only real world testing can tell us.
The good news is that there are six major ways and hundreds of variations. We could use them all, but can get by with less. We need to know which ones we like, and only real world testing can tell us.
Notably very little of this is being done by or for oil companies. Only Occidental's subsidiary 1.5 is selling credits, about 9% of the 14 million ton global sum, and only Norway's Equinor has purchased a large amount, 330,000 tons. High margin tech companies drive this market.
Data from cdr.fyi
Data from cdr.fyi
April 3, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Notably very little of this is being done by or for oil companies. Only Occidental's subsidiary 1.5 is selling credits, about 9% of the 14 million ton global sum, and only Norway's Equinor has purchased a large amount, 330,000 tons. High margin tech companies drive this market.
Data from cdr.fyi
Data from cdr.fyi
Long term carbon removals are growing steadily. Five years ago none were sold - in 2024 more than 12 million tons. Still tiny, but growing steadily. Data from CDR.FYI, who do an amazing job tracking this field.
April 3, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Long term carbon removals are growing steadily. Five years ago none were sold - in 2024 more than 12 million tons. Still tiny, but growing steadily. Data from CDR.FYI, who do an amazing job tracking this field.
Recently in Loreto, Mexico to watch whales, but the pelicans were putting on quite a show. They turn upside down just as they hit the water, apparently to protect their esophagus. Pairs and groups will hit the water simultaneously, which may be an attempt to catch fish the others miss? #birds 🪶
March 19, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Recently in Loreto, Mexico to watch whales, but the pelicans were putting on quite a show. They turn upside down just as they hit the water, apparently to protect their esophagus. Pairs and groups will hit the water simultaneously, which may be an attempt to catch fish the others miss? #birds 🪶
Remember that if you love butterflies, the best personal action you can take (after no pesticides) is to have plants that are native to your area. The wrong plants are not food for caterpillars.
Plant native. They look really good and thrive in your area!
Plant native. They look really good and thrive in your area!
March 6, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Remember that if you love butterflies, the best personal action you can take (after no pesticides) is to have plants that are native to your area. The wrong plants are not food for caterpillars.
Plant native. They look really good and thrive in your area!
Plant native. They look really good and thrive in your area!