Abby L. Watson
@abbylwatson.bsky.social
Climate futurist, energy systems nerd, recovering policy wonk.
www.groundwiregroup.com
www.groundwiregroup.com
Do you ever experience phantom smells? Because as I was browsing this year’s #CommonGroundCountryFair fair book, I swear I could smell lanolin and Sweet Annie. Giddy with anticipation.
www.mofga.org/fairbook/
www.mofga.org/fairbook/
Fairbook | Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners
Read the 2023 fairbook, the guide to the Common Ground Country Fair, online. View the schedule, participants and more.
www.mofga.org
September 8, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Do you ever experience phantom smells? Because as I was browsing this year’s #CommonGroundCountryFair fair book, I swear I could smell lanolin and Sweet Annie. Giddy with anticipation.
www.mofga.org/fairbook/
www.mofga.org/fairbook/
COR-EY COR-EY COR-EY!!!!
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
April 1, 2025 at 10:08 PM
COR-EY COR-EY COR-EY!!!!
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
My YIMBY moment has come and I am Ready 👏 For 👏 It 👏 Came home to this little number tucked next to my mailbox. Already composing my comments.
I have asks! Let’s see this as an opportunity to make the neighborhood better! Everyone deserves housing and we have to build more of it somewhere.
I have asks! Let’s see this as an opportunity to make the neighborhood better! Everyone deserves housing and we have to build more of it somewhere.
![A photo of a neighborhood group flyer notifying us of a proposed low-income housing development. The flyer includes a redacted image of the neighborhood layout and handwritten notes emphasizing the meeting details and pointing to a Facebook page. The text reads:
Attention residents of the [redacted] neighborhood important notification!
The 4-acre property located at [redacted] (where the large house is next to the [redacted] former school) has been sold to a developer, [redacted], who plans on *building six buildings intended for low-income housing. This would include 60 apartments along with a 70-90 car parking lot.* The project would stretch back behind the houses on Hillside Drive, down toward the playground.
The township has started to plan out how to change the topography of this green space and obtain the necessary permits needed to move forward with the construction of what is being considered a *Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program (LIHTC).
Some questions to consider as a [redacted] resident:
- how will this impact the value of our homes?
- how will this impact the wildlife and vegetation that live in that lot and in our neighborhood?
- how will the impact traffic, the sewer system, storm water retention, and air quality in our neighborhood?
The next planning review is scheduled for [redacted]. Public comment will be part of this meeting and we are encouraging residents of the [redacted] neighborhood to attend. Additional important meetings regarding this project will be held on March 11 and April 8. Each of these meetings will work to move this project forward - we MUST get involved with this!
Please attend these meetings and voice your concerns. Please help save our neighborhood from further development!](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:3hg67l4nouk7jxj3ogbjuoqr/bafkreicvdg54wa7bp6jqivefmfz6qcymbascqdfckqyd7ukftti7otdlpy@jpeg)
March 11, 2025 at 12:30 AM
My YIMBY moment has come and I am Ready 👏 For 👏 It 👏 Came home to this little number tucked next to my mailbox. Already composing my comments.
I have asks! Let’s see this as an opportunity to make the neighborhood better! Everyone deserves housing and we have to build more of it somewhere.
I have asks! Let’s see this as an opportunity to make the neighborhood better! Everyone deserves housing and we have to build more of it somewhere.
My kingdom for some clarity on whether the Canadian tariffs actually apply to electricity imports. I maintain that electrons are neither articles nor goods, but I only play a lawyer on TV.
www.spglobal.com
March 5, 2025 at 6:03 PM
My kingdom for some clarity on whether the Canadian tariffs actually apply to electricity imports. I maintain that electrons are neither articles nor goods, but I only play a lawyer on TV.
Is this the future of the electric grid in North America? I sure hope not. That would be bad for everyone, especially homes and businesses in the US Northeast.
⚡️ The historic moment of Estonia leaving the Russian-fed power grid.
On February 8, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia left Russia and Belarus energy system. By the end of the day today, they will have joined the European grid.
On February 8, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia left Russia and Belarus energy system. By the end of the day today, they will have joined the European grid.
March 4, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Is this the future of the electric grid in North America? I sure hope not. That would be bad for everyone, especially homes and businesses in the US Northeast.
Reposted by Abby L. Watson
We need to salute courage wherever it appears.
The official snow reporter at Vermont's Sugarbush, where JD Vance came on a skiing vacation this weekend, pointed out in her snow report this a.m. that the Trump team is ignoring climate change.
Her report was pulled down
kottke.org/25/03/jd-van...
The official snow reporter at Vermont's Sugarbush, where JD Vance came on a skiing vacation this weekend, pointed out in her snow report this a.m. that the Trump team is ignoring climate change.
Her report was pulled down
kottke.org/25/03/jd-van...
Good Trouble: JD Vance Chastised by Vermont Snow Reporter
JD Vance, fresh off of helping his boss ambush & insult a foreign leader in the White House yesterday afternoon, is on vacation in
kottke.org
March 1, 2025 at 9:20 PM
We need to salute courage wherever it appears.
The official snow reporter at Vermont's Sugarbush, where JD Vance came on a skiing vacation this weekend, pointed out in her snow report this a.m. that the Trump team is ignoring climate change.
Her report was pulled down
kottke.org/25/03/jd-van...
The official snow reporter at Vermont's Sugarbush, where JD Vance came on a skiing vacation this weekend, pointed out in her snow report this a.m. that the Trump team is ignoring climate change.
Her report was pulled down
kottke.org/25/03/jd-van...
God bless Canada 🇨🇦
Ending the night with this.
*Get your hankies*
A D-Day veteran called a gracious and humbled Zelenskyy a hero.
*Get your hankies*
A D-Day veteran called a gracious and humbled Zelenskyy a hero.
March 1, 2025 at 2:40 PM
God bless Canada 🇨🇦
Pine Tree Power, we hardly knew ye.
Cory Doctorow adds to the growing chorus to rein in #monopoly profits at utility companies, lowering bills and/or increasing investment in grid needs. doctorow.medium.com/https-plural...
How an obscure advisory board lets utilities steal $50b/year from ratepayers
The Society of Utility and Regulatory Financial Analysts is a hell of a henhouse fox.
doctorow.medium.com
February 25, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Pine Tree Power, we hardly knew ye.
When you bought The Sims on Temu.
February 22, 2025 at 5:28 PM
When you bought The Sims on Temu.
“Although I wandered for a while in the empty hallways of nostalgia searching for lost a time and a place that could never return, I had given up the futile search and chosen life. I had surrendered all false hopes and come to a new land seeking love and faith and sustenance.”
We have a tendency to define mourning as something you have to do “first” and then resist.
I say our mourning *is* resistance - its as if we have completely forgotten how to mourn loudly and collectively
I say our mourning *is* resistance - its as if we have completely forgotten how to mourn loudly and collectively
Moirology — What A Shrink Thinks
… Consider, and call for the mourning women to come; send for the skilled women to come; let them quickly raise a dirge over us, so that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids flow wi...
www.whatashrinkthinks.com
February 22, 2025 at 5:23 PM
“Although I wandered for a while in the empty hallways of nostalgia searching for lost a time and a place that could never return, I had given up the futile search and chosen life. I had surrendered all false hopes and come to a new land seeking love and faith and sustenance.”
The number of times I’ve found myself saying “Vichy” and “appeasement” lately says a lot about our state of affairs.
February 22, 2025 at 5:00 PM
The number of times I’ve found myself saying “Vichy” and “appeasement” lately says a lot about our state of affairs.
Drool-worthy footage for grid nerds. Energy security is about building relationships with allies, not going it alone.
⚡️ The historic moment of Estonia leaving the Russian-fed power grid.
On February 8, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia left Russia and Belarus energy system. By the end of the day today, they will have joined the European grid.
On February 8, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia left Russia and Belarus energy system. By the end of the day today, they will have joined the European grid.
February 9, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Drool-worthy footage for grid nerds. Energy security is about building relationships with allies, not going it alone.
The wholesome content we all need right now.
Hardly new info, but BSky should know:
Warsaw's water quality is monitored by eight clams with magnets attached to their shells. If contamination in the water causes the clams to close, the magnets trigger an alarm and shut off the city's water supply.
Thank you, little guardian molluscs.
🧪🌏🚰
Warsaw's water quality is monitored by eight clams with magnets attached to their shells. If contamination in the water causes the clams to close, the magnets trigger an alarm and shut off the city's water supply.
Thank you, little guardian molluscs.
🧪🌏🚰
February 7, 2025 at 10:53 PM
The wholesome content we all need right now.
Since it seems like our elected representatives are doing fuck all, let’s get loud. Show up to your state capitol on Wednesday and be more of a hero than they’ll ever be 🇺🇸
Paying attention? Outraged? 50 states 50 protests 1 day: Wednesday (yes Wednesday) February 5, 2025. Where: your state capitol. Check out @50501movement.bsky.social or the subreddit r/50501 for more.
February 2, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Since it seems like our elected representatives are doing fuck all, let’s get loud. Show up to your state capitol on Wednesday and be more of a hero than they’ll ever be 🇺🇸
Reposted by Abby L. Watson
Consumers will be forced to pay more this year because gas is a global commodity that always goes through volatile price spikes.
Fossil fuel costs drive recession + caused up to 40% of recent inflation. Renewables keep power prices low and protect consumers.
www.utilitydive.com/news/wholesa...
Fossil fuel costs drive recession + caused up to 40% of recent inflation. Renewables keep power prices low and protect consumers.
www.utilitydive.com/news/wholesa...
US wholesale power prices to rise about 7% in most regions in 2025: EIA
The agency expects that the average cost of natural gas will rise 24% from last year’s average, returning to prices last seen in 2023.
www.utilitydive.com
January 30, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Consumers will be forced to pay more this year because gas is a global commodity that always goes through volatile price spikes.
Fossil fuel costs drive recession + caused up to 40% of recent inflation. Renewables keep power prices low and protect consumers.
www.utilitydive.com/news/wholesa...
Fossil fuel costs drive recession + caused up to 40% of recent inflation. Renewables keep power prices low and protect consumers.
www.utilitydive.com/news/wholesa...
Reposted by Abby L. Watson
The property insurance industry knows what’s up with climate change and socio economic risk. It’s just about math and science to them. So it’s interesting to see what they have to say
www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/brea...
www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/brea...
Three interconnected risk clusters reshaping insurance
Swiss Re Institute chief stresses proactivity in "age of polycrisis"
www.insurancebusinessmag.com
January 29, 2025 at 4:48 AM
The property insurance industry knows what’s up with climate change and socio economic risk. It’s just about math and science to them. So it’s interesting to see what they have to say
www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/brea...
www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/brea...
Reposted by Abby L. Watson
My timelines be like
January 28, 2025 at 2:12 AM
My timelines be like
Incredible and insightful research supporting a different mode of public engagement on climate change! Aligns closely with a project we’ve been developing. Climate change discourse needs to be participatory and integrated with daily life and communities.
Remaking public engagement with climate change
New article online first in Dialogues on Climate Change by Jason Chilvers journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
New article online first in Dialogues on Climate Change by Jason Chilvers journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
January 28, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Incredible and insightful research supporting a different mode of public engagement on climate change! Aligns closely with a project we’ve been developing. Climate change discourse needs to be participatory and integrated with daily life and communities.
Reposted by Abby L. Watson
The crisis isn't insurance, it's insurability.
All efforts to reverse loss of insurance for extremely risky properties end up transferring the cost of prior inaction from asset owners to the public.
This is not a sustainable response to escalating impacts.
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
All efforts to reverse loss of insurance for extremely risky properties end up transferring the cost of prior inaction from asset owners to the public.
This is not a sustainable response to escalating impacts.
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Opinion | California’s insurance crisis is a warning for America
Losses from the fires in Los Angeles are made worse by lack of adequate coverage.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 15, 2025 at 2:45 AM
The crisis isn't insurance, it's insurability.
All efforts to reverse loss of insurance for extremely risky properties end up transferring the cost of prior inaction from asset owners to the public.
This is not a sustainable response to escalating impacts.
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
All efforts to reverse loss of insurance for extremely risky properties end up transferring the cost of prior inaction from asset owners to the public.
This is not a sustainable response to escalating impacts.
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Reposted by Abby L. Watson
Here is a nice mushroom
January 1, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Here is a nice mushroom
Reposted by Abby L. Watson
All yall on #energysky using the emojis 🔌💡, you're mostly iPhone users, right? Repost for yes, like for no.
December 23, 2024 at 10:58 PM
All yall on #energysky using the emojis 🔌💡, you're mostly iPhone users, right? Repost for yes, like for no.
Yes, but why, Simon? Tell us what’s happening in Android world.
All yall on #energysky using the emojis 🔌💡, you're mostly iPhone users, right? Repost for yes, like for no.
December 24, 2024 at 1:07 PM
Yes, but why, Simon? Tell us what’s happening in Android world.
Can we get a @dieworkwear.bsky.social hot take?
Orcas wear dead fish as hats after 40 years, scientists unclear why. My question is, why are scientists weighing in on cetacean fashion trend? Let them wear what they want. www.msn.com/en-us/lifest...
www.msn.com
December 10, 2024 at 12:05 PM
Can we get a @dieworkwear.bsky.social hot take?
Best Advice of 2024 award goes to:
I often have people telling me that if we just change the name that will get people on board.
Newsflash: it won't.
Better news: here's what will-helping people connect what they know (their heads) to why they care (their hearts) to what they can do (their hands)!
ewn.erdc.dren.mil/podcasts/epi...
Newsflash: it won't.
Better news: here's what will-helping people connect what they know (their heads) to why they care (their hearts) to what they can do (their hands)!
ewn.erdc.dren.mil/podcasts/epi...
What's better: climate "change” 🆚 “crisis” 🆚 “emergency”?
New work shows that subtle tweaks in language don't make a difference to green action ⬇️
🔗 bit.ly/4gnhuko
Insight with a climate policy steer: focus on something else 🔎
@jayvanbavel.bsky.social
@dgoldwert.bsky.social
@madalina.bsky.social
New work shows that subtle tweaks in language don't make a difference to green action ⬇️
🔗 bit.ly/4gnhuko
Insight with a climate policy steer: focus on something else 🔎
@jayvanbavel.bsky.social
@dgoldwert.bsky.social
@madalina.bsky.social
December 6, 2024 at 12:41 PM
Best Advice of 2024 award goes to:
Anyone want to take the over/under on how long before an impending economic crisis triggered by failing insurers leads to a government (ie taxpayer) bailout?
It’s not like that’s ever happened before….
amp.theguardian.com/environment/...
It’s not like that’s ever happened before….
amp.theguardian.com/environment/...
How climate risks are driving up insurance premiums around the US – visualized | Climate crisis | The Guardian
‘Tight correlation’ between premium rises and counties deemed most at risk from climate crisis, experts say
amp.theguardian.com
December 6, 2024 at 12:40 PM
Anyone want to take the over/under on how long before an impending economic crisis triggered by failing insurers leads to a government (ie taxpayer) bailout?
It’s not like that’s ever happened before….
amp.theguardian.com/environment/...
It’s not like that’s ever happened before….
amp.theguardian.com/environment/...