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Quote of the Week
"I don't believe that just because a correct word is embraced by
advocates makes the word any less correct. . . if someone is an
outright denier, call a thing by its name."
--Bob Garfield, interviewing Seth Borenstein of the Associated
Press, in response to Borenstein's suggestion that the AP's decision to
stop using the term "climate change denier" is justified because it is
also used by environmental advocates.
Conservation Calendar
Sustainable Vineyard Premier
Friday, Oct. 2, 7:30 pm, Vineyard Haven.
The opening act of the 2015 Living Local Harvest Festival is a free
screening of 3 new episodes of the local documentary series Sustainable
Vineyard. Where Did the Bats Go?, Growing Habitat Standards, and Forward to Nature will
be followed by a reception and interspersed with Q&As with the film
subjects. At the MV Film Center at Tisbury Marketplace.
Eastville Beach Clean-Up
Saturday, Oct. 10, 10:00 am, Oak Bluffs.
As part of the state's Coastsweep research program, Cottage City Oysters is organizing a clean-up of Eastville Beach. See poster for more info on the local clean-up.
Popcorn Festival
Sunday, Oct. 11, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Chilmark.
A fun and free gathering at Native Earth Teaching Farm (North Road, near
Tea Lane) to celebrate the end of the season. Local food and popcorn
for everyone, especially the pygmy goats. More at website.
National Fossil day
Thursday, Oct. 15, 4:00 to 7:45 pm, Oak Bluffs.
Celebrate National Fossil Day and explore the world of marine and
paleobiological research. Presenters will be displaying fossil finds and
be available for discussion. Bring your own fossils if you have them!
Free, all ages. At the O.B. Library, call (508) 693-9433 for more info.
In Season Recipe
Yogurt Apple Coffee Cake
It's apple season throughout New England, and for the most local apples possible stop by Tiasquin Orchard ( Carl's Way in West Tisbury) for fresh Liberty apples, a cross between the popular Macoun and Purdue varieties. Then, head up the Tiasquam River to Mermaid Farm to pick up some yogurt and you're ready to go! ( Tiasquin Orchard apples are also for sale at Morning Glory Farm, and Mermaid Farm yogurt can be found at Cronig's)
Ingredients
- 1 C sugar
- ½ C and 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 local eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 ½ C flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 C yogurt
- 2-3 cups diced apples*
- 1 C packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
Preparation
Preheat over to 375 degrees and grease a 9 x 13'' pan. For cake
batter, first cream together sugar, 1/2 cup butter, eggs, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and
salt. Add the dry mixture to the creamed a little at a time,
alternating with the yogurt. Once those are mixed, fold in the apples
and pour into the greased pan.
For the topping, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and 2 tbsp. butter with a
fork and sprinkle over batter. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until a
toothpick comes out clean.
*Whether to peel the apples or not, what variety to use, and how
fine to dice them are all matters of taste. But try it at least once
with big chunks and without peeling!
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Local News
Living Local this Saturday, Rain or Shine!
Join VCS at the Living Local Harvest Festival this Saturday (Oct. 3), from 10:00 to 4:00
at the Ag Hall in West Tisbury. We’ll be featuring a sneak peek at our
exciting new advocacy initiative for the coming year along with fun
activities for all ages of kids-at-heart. We also plan to recognize the
participants in the first annual VCS Island Adventure, so make sure to bring your completed Adventure Book to the VCS table and collect your prize!
Due to the unsettled and potentially tropical weather this weekend, the festival will be held on Saturday rain or shine, foregoing the planned rain date on Sunday. Check the Living Local website just in case plans change again, and to see the full schedule
of events, activities, games, and workshops. After the festival, there
will be a community supper and contra dance beginning at 5:00, with Island-raised pork and local veggies ($15 per person).
The annual Living Local Harvest Festival, which has now grown into a
major event and community treasure, was originally founded (by four
Island non-profits: the MV Ag. Society, Vineyard Energy Project, Island
Grown Initiative, and VCS) to promote sustainable living on our island
by encouraging local food production and the local economy, renewable
energy, and resource conservation.
p.s.: Please bring your leftover single-use plastic shopping bags by
the VCS table Saturday -- we're collecting them for some crafty
re-purposing!
We Are Two Again
Good fishing, risky business (yesterday on Chappy, photos by Dana Gaines)
The new breach seen below could be as short lived as the current stormy
weather, but for the time being we are two islands yet again. Read more
about the recent history of the opening and closing at Norton Point at
the Cape Cod Times.
Other News
Skepticism, Denial, and Doubt: Debating the Language of Debate
Last week, the Associated Press made a change to their Stylebook that is
sure to annoy environmentalists, infuriate scientists, disappoint
crackpots, and mostly just confuse the public. When discussing issues
related to climate change, AP reporters are to refer to “those who
reject mainstream climate science” as exactly that, or, when this proves
too much of a mouthful (i.e., always), as “climate change doubters.”
To be avoided are the commonly-used (and pejorative, and frequently
accurate) “climate change denier,” as well as the name preferred by the
very folks we’re talking about: “skeptic.” The AP,
who excel at reporting both sides of the story even where only one
exists, made the change in an effort to balance competing interests: the
Committee for Skeptical Inquiry,
representing scientists working to debunk all sorts of pseudoscience
and conspiracy theories, argued that “skeptic” is simply incorrect on a
factual level, while the “doubters” claim their opposition to the term
“denier” is rooted in an association with Holocaust denial.
In an interview of AP science writer Seth Borenstein, who helped created the new rules, Bob Garfield of On the Media takes on the AP’s tendency toward false balance, to somewhat explosive results. It’s absolutely worth a listen.
Personally, I believe Borenstein’s preferred phrase “those who reject
mainstream climate science” is very good. The problem is in the AP’s
attempt to shorten that to “doubter,” a blatant whitewashing of what these folks are doing. Though Borenstein did have a good line when describing the challenge: “Climate rejecter sounds like an engine part.”
Ok, good point. (Of course, it also doesn’t make any sense. To reject the climate would be what, exactly? Closing a window and turning on the air conditioning?) How about we go with “science rejecter” instead?
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