Landscapes & Cycles: An Environmentalist's Journey to Climate Skepticism

by Jim Steele

For 25 years, as director of San Francisco State University’s Sierra Nevada Field Campus, Jim Steele has opened the eyes and ears of countless students to the magic of California’s Sierra Nevada. His first book, Landscapes and Cycles, An Environmentalist’s Journey to Climate Skepticism will likewise open your minds. It compares the effects of landscape changes, natural cycles and climate change on polar bears, whales, walruses, penguins, frogs, pika, butterflies and marine ecosystems. Although it is wise to think globally, all wildlife reacts locally and all regions of the earth have been behaving very differently from what a globally averaged statistic might suggest. Despite media horror stories, many species have benefitted from recent climate change. Those species that are struggling have invariably been affected by issues other than climate change and require very different remedies. Controlling our carbon footprints will never address the most pressing issues of habitat loss and watershed degradation. Landscapes and Cycles juxtaposes environmental optimism and with concern. It celebrates the work of conservationists and scientists whose tireless efforts have enabled the full recovery of a great many species. On the other hand it presents withering criticism against the politicization of climate change and those who have hijacked key environmental issues to the detriment of good environmental stewardship. Steele highlights how faulty science and bad models have misguided critical conservation efforts and misrepresented conservation success. Most distressing Landscapes and Cycles reveals how global warming advocates have opposed appropriate conservation efforts simply because the concerned scientists did not blame climate change. Landscapes and Cycles demystifies both climate science and conservation science in a manner easily understood by everyone. In easily grasped terms Steele explains how natural cycles can cause abrupt climate change and extreme weather events and how those events affect wildlife. If we want to be good stewards of the environment, understanding those natural cycles are essential. Landscapes and Cycles outlines how we can build a more resilient environment and provides a much-needed perspective from which we can better separate sincere concerns from the overzealous catastrophic predictions that dominate the media. Landscapes and Cycles highlights what we need to look for during the next 10 years in order to determine if the “control knob” of global climate change is natural cycles or the rising concentration of carbon dioxide. Until then Steele argues now more than ever, we need to have more transparent and respectful debates to move the science forward. Landscapes and Cycles will enlighten anyone concerned with climate change and the fate of endangered species. Not only is it fascinating reading for the general public, it should required reading for every high school and college environmental studies class.

Genres: Science, Environment

342 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2013

Reviews

[Dafne]

There's been a lot of publicity lately about the problems with "peer-reviewed" science, and this book certainly builds up the evidence for a need to completely overhaul the way science in general is conducted. The book itself is thoroughly researched and certainly presents compelling arguments for climate change skepticism. I would definitely recommend reading through this book if you are interested in promoting good science - which, after all, *should* be based on skepticism and trying to prove theories wrong. I give the book 3 stars because it is extensively researched, is written in simple enough language to be understood by the general populace, and because it presents an interesting point of view that is generally missing from the general discourse.

I couldn't rate the book higher because of a few problems. First, it had several glaring grammatical errors which really should have been picked up in editing. Second, I didn't like the way every single section (not chapter - SECTION) began with 1-2 quotes which broke up the flow of reading. I was told by professors not to use too many quotes - now I'm passing that message on to a professor! Quotes should be integrated into the prose, not stand-alone. I also think this book could have been organized and edited to better bring the point home. When I think "proof of climate change" my first thoughts are melting glaciers and dying polar bears - yet these are some of the last items that Dr. Steele covers in his book. I think some of the other examples could have been cut out in order to make the book shorter, more readable, and more to the point. There were also issues with image quality - many of the graphs were hard to read or poor quality images. These contributed to an overall less professional look which again affected my overall rating.

As a student of social science more than hard science, I wish there had been more discussion of the social impacts. I do believe that focusing on climate change is the wrong way to get environmental action - even if climate change is real and is happening - and that you can convince more people to take action by talking about decimated landscapes and air pollution than some nebulous future catastrophe. Dr. Steele does mention that he is concerned that a focus on climate change prevents more pertinent environmental action, such as the preservation of habitat. But I think he could have dug deeper into this point. For example, if you drive less, you not only prevent a possible climate disaster, you also help reduce smog and related health problems such as asthma in your city. He sort of casts aside these bigger environmental problems with just one paragraph where he asserts that technology can solve most of our problems, a statement which I have very real trouble believing.

Overall, this book has the potential to be groundbreaking and innovative. I think it could have benefited from better editing and from a more multi-faceted analysis which includes social impacts as well as a discussion about whether a focus on "fighting climate change" is even good for the environmental movement and environmental goals.

Despite these problems - if you're interested in hearing about the other side of the climate debate from a real scientist and environmentalist and not from an oil company or Fox News reporter, then I would recommend reading this book.

[Claudia]

This book should be used for anyone studying climate change and socio impacts on the environment. It is a well referenced text establishing the need to preserve the environment and overcome previous predictions installed by various sources such as that of the media. Jim Steele's book establishes all the important scientific facts, putting them into perspective for the average concerned individual or as a well researched study tool for those studying the implications of a drastic landscape change. Using easy to navigate diagrams to enhance his point further, this is an intellectually stimulating book about the effects of climate change

[Mary]

First of all let me state that I am a greenie/environmentalist, and I am for using less oil and gasoline as soon as possible. Also, because I'm cheap, and don't want to have to pay for it either. I believe CO2 is doing nothing for the environment, and could be the reason why so many more people have asthma and allergies. But all of that being said, this book has given me hope our society won't collapse as soon as I thought it would.

Steele did an excellent job of researching. He covered an array of animals and weather conditions to show that there is no current global warming. Just localized warming and poor research being done. I have always been against deforestation and replacing fields with parking lots (*coughs* Wal-Mart *coughs). This book helps verify and support my anti-destruction that humans are so good at.

From a psychology stand point (which is what my degree is in) it was interesting to see how much people can blind and lie to themselves once their faith has been put into something (and in this book it was global warming). It's too bad that humans will do anything for a little attention even if it means lying or distorting the truth.

The book had a little feel of a bashing party of certain "scientists" at times, although Steele says he was trying to avoid that, and I understand; I think I would have difficulty not calling out people who just want a little fame and will cut down whoever tries to take that from them. I also would have liked to have read more about his own experiments and localized watershed replacements, etc. I hope that Steele writes more in the future, I'd be one of the first to read it. I will also be buying several more copies of this book to give to my environmental friends.

[Paul Hoffman]

Jim Steele deftly handles the intricacies of climate change by 1) showing how climate alarmists have misrepresented science, 2) demonstrating that climate cycles and their impacts on the environment are localized, 3) showing that the obsessive focus on global average temperatures blinds people to the fact that in some regions weather changes may not track with global averages at all, and 4) showing why cyclical changes in ocean temperatures and currents along with solar activity cycles more often better explain climate changes than atmospheric CO2 levels. It in nutshell, through the explanation of the population swings of multiple species, he makes the critical point that—like politics—all environmental issues and conservation efforts are local.

[Diane]

Landscapes & Cycles: An Environmentalist's Journey to Climate Skepticism
by Jim Steele

I imagined that it would be beyond my ability to understand this book. Ugh, science - right up there with math for me :) I don't know why because I like both; my mind just can't seem to keep the info straight. A pity. Anyway, no problem here. The author has made this book fairly easy to understand, even for people like me. Some of the statistical information with charts, etc were not as interesting to me, but still understandable. I actually entered the giveaway with someone in mind to send it to should I win. But then I had to read it to make sure it was worthy. It is. In fact, there were many times that I got a bit riled up about how the (mis)information is being fed to us through the media by the very people who are supposed to be looking out for our best interests. It is very clear to me that we need to be taking care of what we do know for sure with facts and funneling the money there rather than taking it all and applying it to what maybe, possibly might be, with nothing but conjecture to back it up.

I recommend this book to everybody. Especially current scientists, students, environmentalists, anyone who wants to learn about what is really going on. This author has done a great deal of work and research to bring this information to us and I, for one, am grateful to have had the chance to read it. It is well referenced and will open your mind about the effect of climate change without doomsday predictions to scare you to death. He offers genuine scientifically proven ways in which we can restore or enhance our environment in order to preserve the species that share this planet, including ourselves.

I received this book from the author after being selected in the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway as a winner. This has in no way influenced my review. I admit to not having checked all of the 999 references cited but I did read all the pages and pages listing them. I figured I probably would get lost in all that science and never be seen again. So, I'll leave all that to the professionals and just be glad I had the pleasure of reading this eye opening book. Passing it on. Thanks.

[Bill Leach]

A terrific book that brings all of the material on climate change together. Very readable.

In examining many of the issues, Steele brings findings to the fore which are not evident in the mainstream discussion, showing that these subjects are far more complex than generally portrayed. Unfortunately, it becomes clear that for anyone to be certain that CO2 is the major climate driver would require a less than scientific attitude - there is just too much conflicting data.

The author examines those animals that are claimed to the threatened by climate change including penguins, polar bears, walruses and pikas. Again, once looks at the details of the ecology of the animal it becomes apparent that many factors come into play and these populations are unlikely being affected by the climate. However, human intrusions into their environments have and continue to affect their populations.

Perhaps the best part of the book is the discussion of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and the El Nino - La Nina processes. Steele shows how these cause variations in the climate of all areas bordering the Pacific. This is huge insight that is not available from the climate models which have no success in predicting regional climate variation. As the PDO is now entering a cooling phase, if these processes are correct much of the warming will stop.

The chapter on glaciers is especially interesting, showing how they have ebbed and flowed over time. This is really part of the bigger picture of how the climate has varied greatly over the Holocene with variations such the Roman Warm Period, the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age, none of which are recognized by mainstream climate science. A key influence on the Himalayan glaciers is the amount of moisture deposited by the monsoons. The warm phase of the PDO causes less moisture and has resulted in glacial retreat in the last part of the twentieth century. Knowing this mechanism, it can be expected that the Himalayan glaciers will again grow when the PDO turns.

The book concludes with the author's reflections on the proper conduct of science and how far climate science has deviated.

[Nick Alden]

This is a fantastic book. Using the existing literature on a variety of subjects, Jim Steele elaborates on how natural cycles have been ignored in the climate change debate. With nearly a thousand references, it is very well researched. I hope this book will spark a healthy debate on environmental issues.

For more information check out his Youtube channel and website: landscapesandcycles.net