Climate change is, perhaps, the biggest challenge to ever face us. It is here now, manifesting itself in changing sea levels, warming temperatures and shrinking ice, changing weather, increasing numbers and severity of extreme events, the arrival of new pests and diseases, and on and on. The world is rapidly becoming a different place than the one you and I grew up in. For our children, grandchildren, and posterity we need to manage our world in such a way as to meet this challenge. Time is running out. The science of climate is an exact science, based on observations and factual deductions from these. On the other hand, opinions expressed about climate change fall on a distribution from the most ardent nay-sayers to the most devoted believers. As with many phenomena, this distribution is naturally bell shaped with the majority bunched in the middle not feeling too strongly either way. The "average" person is neatly in the middle and most people are in this group. The deniers are at one end of the spectrum and those who demand extreme actions to address the changing climate are at the other. Many government scientists have not allowed to publicly speak about environmental issues such as this and were effectively silenced while climate change deniers had full rein to say anything, muddy the waters and delay action to effect real solutions. One of the book's proposed "solutions" is that scientists must become a strong voice for drastic changes in energy policy. It is interesting that discussions about nuclear energy have also seen a similar distribution shift with the nuclear industry being nearly silent in terms of promoting the importance and value of nuclear energy. Sadly, all involved in both issues seem to have lost their sense of humour along the way. Dr. Duane Chartier is intent on re-establishing the voice of the previously silent end of the spectrum on the two extremely important issues of the changing climate and the role of nuclear energy. This book fills an important gap by opening the dialogue to include those who understand the science and are alarmed at the potential for changing climate to alter the world in ways that will be difficult or impossible for future generations to manage. The book looks not only at the well-accepted current status of the climate, but also at the probable futures facing us. It identifies energy as being one of the major dimensions of the challenge and goes even further to suggest "no regrets" solutions which will develop existing and new nuclear technologies to be safe, clean, and economically sound. All this and it does so with a light touch and humor ranging from silly to deepest black.
About the Author: Dr. Duane R. Chartier was an inorganic chemist who had an early life crisis and decided to switch fields. He entered paintings conservation via degrees in art history and art conservation. Like most people, he has often wondered what the hell he is doing or supposed to be doing. Ergo ... ipso facto, this book. His knowledge of fundamentals in materials science and computing led him to the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles, CA, and thence to ICCROM (International Center for the Study of the Preservation and the Restoration of Cultural Property) in Rome, where he coordinated the scientific program. During this time and since then he has practiced as an independent consultant for projects ranging from computer system design at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice to wall paintings analysis and treatment. During his career in art conservation he has moved very large sculptures and installed very large paintings. Some of his more curious dealings have been with the hand and footprints at Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, CA. He is currently engaged in a number of activities that are personally interesting but likely won't earn a single dollar. What he does do to make money is provide the scientific support for authentication of works of art and fabrication of art supports. Most recently he has co-produced, with Roz Roembke, an online catalogue raisonné of the works of Wilson Hurley (www.wilson-hurley.com). In addition, he co-wrote, with the artist Alyson Souza (www.paintwood.com), Materials Matter: An Artist's Book of Hours which is an interesting collaboration between an artist and a materials scientist / art conservator. His most recent writing project is a collection of Aesopian short stories entitled "Notes from the Accretion Disk". He recently opened a new website (www.savant-tools.com) to sell honeycomb panels and cool tools. Many years ago, he made the bold mistake of starting the non-profit organization, The International Center for Art Intelligence, Inc. (ICAI, Inc.; www.authentica.org). All along the sinuous and rocky way he has always been a scientist at the core - just not a very patient or well behaved one. With the benefits of world experience and a number of added years he has finally realized that there is no point assuming that people will make the correct decisions without an enormous amount of encouragement, rather than direct criticism, which is also still sometimes necessary.