Back in October 2012, Grist published an article entitled “Flagstaff sustainability chief Nicole Woodman keeps a cool head as temperatures rise.”  Not sure what is meant by the present-tense use of “as temperatures rise” when we talk about Flagstaff, Arizona.  The average annual temperature in this area has no significant trend for three decades and counting. But this is the claim that caught my attention in Grist's question-and-answer format with the sustainability chief: Q. How will climate change affect Flagstaff? A. Flagstaff in the last few years has been a case study for it. [In 2010], we had catastrophic wildfires. As a result, we had flooding and a loss of life. [Ed's note: The floods were caused by record-setting monsoon rains following the fires, which washed sediment from the scorched slopes and caused flash floods, one of which killed a 12-year-old girl.] And then we had extreme heat. Government agencies are the first...(Read Full Post)