The Vexing Problem of Global Warming: Can We Pay For It?

Thursday, September 22^nd, 7:00 p.m.

Despite misinformation spread by contrarians, man-made climate change is very real, very evident and looming very large.  But the situation isn’t hopeless and we’re still very much in the driver’s seat, should we decide to take control.  Robert Haw, an engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will illustrate current manifestations of climate change in easily understood terms, such as sea level rise, ocean acidification, flooding and droughts, a changing balance among plants and animals, and the ways in which these changes affect everyone.  These accumulating climate stresses especially hurt those less fortunate, both here and around the world, and our children.

Moreover, Haw will show that on the economics side of climate change, if we take control now, the transition to a clean-energy economy is not only affordable, it’s also a job-creator and a GDP-booster.  This plan is called Carbon Fee and Dividend.  Find out more about this proposal and how it might help preserve a safe operating space on Earth for humanity on Thursday, September 22^nd at Crowell Public Library. A question and answer period will follow the presentation, including a discussion of follow-up actions that you can take. 

A physicist by training and a graduate of Stanford University, Robert Haw has been employed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for 25 years as a navigation engineer on exploration missions across the solar system. He's currently working on SMAP, an Earth-orbiting spacecraft designed to monitor soil moisture levels around the planet.  In 2012 Robert co-founded the Pasadena Foothills chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby, an organization exclusively devoted to building the political will for a livable planet.  He has spoken frequently in Congressional offices to elected representatives and to public audiences in the Foothill communities about a practical and non-partisan solution to the climate crisis.  The crisis is already too big for individual actions alone to make any difference in solving it.  So how shall we respond, collectively?  

Come learn how to pay for the clean-energy transition and pay ourselves at the same time! 

 

Meet the Authors!

Meet the Authors Series

Beginning Wednesday September 21^st   7:00 p.m.

The Friends of Crowell Public Library’s Meet the Author! series starts up again this fall with Tammy Kaehler, author of the Kate Reilly mystery series.  Tammy will talk about the latest installment, Red Flags on Wednesday September 21 in the Library’s Barth Community Room.  Tammy’s career in marketing and technical writing landed her in the world of automobile racing, which inspired her with its blend of drama, competition, and friendly people. Tammy works in the Los Angeles area, where she lives with her husband and many cars.

On Thursday, October 13, author Joel Fox will talk about The Mark on Eve, a supernatural suspense story in which Eve, bewitched in colonial New England, is alive today helping the female governor of California run for president of the United States. Her secret could doom the presidential campaign when she steps in front of an assassin's bullet.  Growing up in Massachusetts, Fox got his love of history breathing the Boston air.  He has been published in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and San Francisco Chronicle. He is an adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University.

Patricia Smiley has a brand new series about LAPD homicide detective Davie Richards, Pacific Homicide, which will debut in November, just in time for her appearance at Crowell Library on Wednesday November 9. Most cops spend their entire careers without firing a weapon in the line of duty, but Davie Richards is an outlier, a cop who killed a suspect to save her partner’s life. While she waits for the police commission’s ruling, she’s called out to probe the gruesome homicide of a nineteen-year-old Russian beauty whose body is found in the Los Angeles sewer.  Patricia has taught writing at various conferences, and served on the Board of Directors for the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America and as president of Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles.

All programs begin at 7:00 p.m. and are open to all.  Light refreshments will be served.  Thanks to the Friends of the Library, the authors keep coming to Crowell Public Library!

Helping Hands for Hand-Held Devices

Saturday September 17

2:00-4:00 pm

Electronically savvy and patient volunteers from San Marino High school and the National Charity League will be available on Saturday September 17 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 pm at Crowell Public Library’s Thornton Room to help frustrated people figure out how to use their hand-held devices.  Many people have iPods, Androids, tablets, iPhones, and other gadgets, but can’t figure out all of the features.  The young volunteers are familiar with many of the concepts behind these devices, so even if they haven’t used a particular gadget, they may be able to help a person figure out what to do.   

This program was initiated by San Marino High School student Chunbill “Billy” Liu who grew up surrounded by gadgets, but noticed there was a technology gap with people who did not have that advantage.  Billy approached Librarian Rex Mayreis about closing this gap, while getting in some community services hours for himself and his friends, but the program has continued because there is such a need.  The Los Angeles Times covered a session last year and posted a video about it at http://lat.ms/1sODdVg.  

If you are frustrated with online and telephone support options, come to Crowell Library and work with a living, breathing techie that will help you “bond” with your device.  There’s nothing like one-on-one assistance to help solve problems and tackle sticky widgets.

Registration is required for this program.  To reserve your spot, please call 626-300-0777, extension 579 as soon as possible.  There are a limited number of volunteers, so slots will fill quickly.