Erik Nordman
@eriknordman.bsky.social
Director, Institute of Public Utilities @ Michigan State University & Associate Professor of Agricultural, Food, & Resource Economics • Author: The Uncommon Knowledge of Elinor Ostrom • Fulbrighter (Kenya) • Views my own
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Erik Nordman
@eriknordman.bsky.social
· Oct 18
I wrote an accessible introduction to the life and work of the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Economics - Elinor Ostrom. She showed that are not doomed to fall into the "tragedy of the commons." Collaborative governance is possible.
islandpress.org/books/uncomm...
islandpress.org/books/uncomm...
Reposted by Erik Nordman
ready, set, go:
real schools seeing real market advantage in real classes with real brains
“Artificial Intelligence may be able to write you a song, develop a presentation or help you write a script...But MSU is real experts with real answers. No AI needed.”
bridgemi.com/quality-life...
real schools seeing real market advantage in real classes with real brains
“Artificial Intelligence may be able to write you a song, develop a presentation or help you write a script...But MSU is real experts with real answers. No AI needed.”
bridgemi.com/quality-life...
In world of AI, Michigan State University Extension bets on human expertise - Bridge Michigan
For 118 years, Michigan State University Extension has existed to serve the public with programs ranging from canning classes to soil testing and financial literacy workshops. Now, it aims to bill its...
bridgemi.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:12 AM
ready, set, go:
real schools seeing real market advantage in real classes with real brains
“Artificial Intelligence may be able to write you a song, develop a presentation or help you write a script...But MSU is real experts with real answers. No AI needed.”
bridgemi.com/quality-life...
real schools seeing real market advantage in real classes with real brains
“Artificial Intelligence may be able to write you a song, develop a presentation or help you write a script...But MSU is real experts with real answers. No AI needed.”
bridgemi.com/quality-life...
Reposted by Erik Nordman
Keeping old coal plants open is so dumb. So, so dumb.
Ofc these costs are going to be passed on to ratepayers.
Ofc these costs are going to be passed on to ratepayers.
Cost to keep Michigan coal power plant running under Trump administration orders tops $80 million
An emergency order from the U.S. Department of Energy is requiring the J.H. Campbell power plant near Lake Michigan to remain open.
www.michiganpublic.org
November 26, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Keeping old coal plants open is so dumb. So, so dumb.
Ofc these costs are going to be passed on to ratepayers.
Ofc these costs are going to be passed on to ratepayers.
Reposted by Erik Nordman
In 1924, Calvin Coolidge's 16-yr-old son played tennis on the White House grounds w/o wearing socks. He got a blister and was dead from infection a week later.
This is unthinkable today—which is why I wrote this series. Cuz the systems that save us from this kind of fate are in urgent need of care.
This is unthinkable today—which is why I wrote this series. Cuz the systems that save us from this kind of fate are in urgent need of care.
For a yr, I've been working on a series for The New Atlantis about the vast systems that underlie our lives. Our ancestors built them up over decades to fend off hunger, thirst, darkness and disease. But too few of us know about them—and they're all at risk. The conclusion is now available online:
Why We Are Better Off Than a Century Ago
Our ancestors built grand public systems to conquer hunger, thirst, darkness, and squalor. That progress can be lost if we forget it.
www.thenewatlantis.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:03 PM
In 1924, Calvin Coolidge's 16-yr-old son played tennis on the White House grounds w/o wearing socks. He got a blister and was dead from infection a week later.
This is unthinkable today—which is why I wrote this series. Cuz the systems that save us from this kind of fate are in urgent need of care.
This is unthinkable today—which is why I wrote this series. Cuz the systems that save us from this kind of fate are in urgent need of care.
Reposted by Erik Nordman
Paradoxes in the Defense of Democracy
Remarks on “The State of Democracy in Trump’s America: Year One”
open.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Reposted by Erik Nordman
Jamaica is seeing an outbreak of leptospirosis, just one of the many, many ways severe Melissa hits wll sicken and kill people there over the coming months and years
November 24, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Jamaica is seeing an outbreak of leptospirosis, just one of the many, many ways severe Melissa hits wll sicken and kill people there over the coming months and years
Reposted by Erik Nordman
According to this new report, Michigan has one of the highest per-capita water system investment needs in the country. But the rural investment needs ($1200 per capita) are more than twice that of urban needs ($530).
www.governing.com/infrastructu...
www.governing.com/infrastructu...
The Water Infrastructure Investments States Will Need
The bill is coming due after years of underinvestment in water infrastructure. New research highlights needs in each state and the economic benefits from meeting them.
www.governing.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:04 PM
According to this new report, Michigan has one of the highest per-capita water system investment needs in the country. But the rural investment needs ($1200 per capita) are more than twice that of urban needs ($530).
www.governing.com/infrastructu...
www.governing.com/infrastructu...
Reposted by Erik Nordman
Santa Monica's water resources division recycles stormwater, urban runoff, and municipal wastewater to achieve 85% self-sufficiency. Impressive!
www.governing.com/resilience/a...
www.governing.com/resilience/a...
A California City’s Groundbreaking Path to Water Self-Sufficiency
A recycling project in Santa Monica, Calif., is helping the city move away from dependence on imported water.
www.governing.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Santa Monica's water resources division recycles stormwater, urban runoff, and municipal wastewater to achieve 85% self-sufficiency. Impressive!
www.governing.com/resilience/a...
www.governing.com/resilience/a...
Reposted by Erik Nordman
Over 150 yrs ago, George Perkins Marsh urged his readers to consider the disastrous environmental effects of deforestation, over-mining, and other human actions. Read more about this remarkable thinker and his extraordinary book, Man and Nature (1864) publicdomainreview.org/collection/m...
November 24, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Over 150 yrs ago, George Perkins Marsh urged his readers to consider the disastrous environmental effects of deforestation, over-mining, and other human actions. Read more about this remarkable thinker and his extraordinary book, Man and Nature (1864) publicdomainreview.org/collection/m...
Reposted by Erik Nordman
A friend who teaches theology shared with me a post about CS Lewis's Mere Christianity, which discusses foundational Christian logic across denominations. It reminded me of Dale's tweet below, and I wanted to share some thoughts here regarding modesty and respectability, which are often hot topics.
November 23, 2025 at 7:35 PM
A friend who teaches theology shared with me a post about CS Lewis's Mere Christianity, which discusses foundational Christian logic across denominations. It reminded me of Dale's tweet below, and I wanted to share some thoughts here regarding modesty and respectability, which are often hot topics.
Reposted by Erik Nordman
While the rest of the world was at #COP30, the U.S. government was busy rolling back bedrock environmental protections www.nytimes.com/2025/11/22/c...
In One Week, Trump Moves to Reshape U.S. Environmental Policy
www.nytimes.com
November 23, 2025 at 2:27 PM
While the rest of the world was at #COP30, the U.S. government was busy rolling back bedrock environmental protections www.nytimes.com/2025/11/22/c...
Reposted by Erik Nordman
The story of Rockefeller bankrolling the establishment of the University of Chicago is fascinating (he paid for everything). He generally abstained from meddling but somewhow the one guy who got fired was a political economists who advocated for ... public ownership of the energy infrastructure.
November 22, 2025 at 4:23 PM
The story of Rockefeller bankrolling the establishment of the University of Chicago is fascinating (he paid for everything). He generally abstained from meddling but somewhow the one guy who got fired was a political economists who advocated for ... public ownership of the energy infrastructure.
Reposted by Erik Nordman
The difference is clear. Listing decisions are to be made on the basis of scientific evidence of endangerment. Only critical habitat decisions can weigh economic impact.
www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/es...
www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/es...
Endangered Species Act - 16 U.S.C. Sections 1531-1544
www.biologicaldiversity.org
November 22, 2025 at 12:17 PM
The difference is clear. Listing decisions are to be made on the basis of scientific evidence of endangerment. Only critical habitat decisions can weigh economic impact.
www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/es...
www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/es...
Shake up at the DOE
In:
*Critical Minerals & Energy Innovation
*Hydrocarbons &Geothermal Energy
*Fusion
*Energy Dominance Financing
Out:
*Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
*Clean Energy Demonstrations
*Grid Deployment
*State and Community Energy Programs
*Manufacturing & Energy Supply Chains
In:
*Critical Minerals & Energy Innovation
*Hydrocarbons &Geothermal Energy
*Fusion
*Energy Dominance Financing
Out:
*Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
*Clean Energy Demonstrations
*Grid Deployment
*State and Community Energy Programs
*Manufacturing & Energy Supply Chains
A Trump Overhaul of the Energy Dept. Breaks Up Clean Energy Offices
www.nytimes.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Shake up at the DOE
In:
*Critical Minerals & Energy Innovation
*Hydrocarbons &Geothermal Energy
*Fusion
*Energy Dominance Financing
Out:
*Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
*Clean Energy Demonstrations
*Grid Deployment
*State and Community Energy Programs
*Manufacturing & Energy Supply Chains
In:
*Critical Minerals & Energy Innovation
*Hydrocarbons &Geothermal Energy
*Fusion
*Energy Dominance Financing
Out:
*Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
*Clean Energy Demonstrations
*Grid Deployment
*State and Community Energy Programs
*Manufacturing & Energy Supply Chains
Reposted by Erik Nordman
“We don’t deserve the trust of the nation if we’re unclear about the divisiveness of swastikas.” — that anonymous Coast Guard official
November 21, 2025 at 1:49 PM
“We don’t deserve the trust of the nation if we’re unclear about the divisiveness of swastikas.” — that anonymous Coast Guard official
Reposted by Erik Nordman
Howell Township puts pause on data centers after hundreds protest www.detroitnews.com/story/busine...
Howell Township puts pause on data centers after hundreds protest
Howell Township trustees Thursday unanimously voted in favor of a six-month pause on data center applications.
www.detroitnews.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Howell Township puts pause on data centers after hundreds protest www.detroitnews.com/story/busine...
Reposted by Erik Nordman
This story is nuts.
"ICE agents then surrounded the judge’s car and demanded everyone to exit the vehicle, threatening to smash in the windows if they did not comply."
"ICE agents then surrounded the judge’s car and demanded everyone to exit the vehicle, threatening to smash in the windows if they did not comply."
#BREAKING: A student intern at Rhode Island Superior Court was briefly taken into custody by ICE this afternoon before a judge intervened, 12 News has learned. Story by @jusolyn.bsky.social and @timwhiteri.bsky.social: ⤵️
RI judge intervenes after ICE mistakenly detains Superior Court intern
A teenager was nearly taken into federal immigration custody in Providence Thursday afternoon before a Superior Court judge intervened, according to the Rhode Island Judiciary.
www.wpri.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:51 AM
This story is nuts.
"ICE agents then surrounded the judge’s car and demanded everyone to exit the vehicle, threatening to smash in the windows if they did not comply."
"ICE agents then surrounded the judge’s car and demanded everyone to exit the vehicle, threatening to smash in the windows if they did not comply."
Reposted by Erik Nordman
This is good to see!
WATCH: Pope Leo XIV urges ‘concrete actions’ to combat climate change | PBS News youtu.be/6Qx3y6RkoZM
WATCH: Pope Leo XIV urges ‘concrete actions’ to combat climate change
YouTube video by PBS NewsHour
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 11:26 PM
This is good to see!
Reposted by Erik Nordman
The biggest bummer about electricity affordability is it is being driven by poles and wires, the replacement of which is becoming more expensive due to, you guessed it, climate change.
November 20, 2025 at 8:34 PM
The biggest bummer about electricity affordability is it is being driven by poles and wires, the replacement of which is becoming more expensive due to, you guessed it, climate change.
Reposted by Erik Nordman
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
November 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
Reposted by Erik Nordman
It took months of engineering to figure this out but we cracked it
Did you know that every subscription to Brief Ecology comes with the subtle but lingering scent of fresh mountain cedar and pine? Go ahead give it a try
www.briefecology.com
www.briefecology.com
Brief Ecology | Ben Lockwood, Ph.D. | Substack
Ecological news, essays, fiction and book reviews. Click to read Brief Ecology, by Ben Lockwood, Ph.D., a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.
www.briefecology.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:31 PM
It took months of engineering to figure this out but we cracked it
Reposted by Erik Nordman
This is a very good episode with @advaitarun.bsky.social.
Really interesting moment when they were musing about why data centers were the thing driving 40% of GDP right now, instead of housing or high speed rail. Why is speculation such a large part of how we do infrastructure spending in the US?
Really interesting moment when they were musing about why data centers were the thing driving 40% of GDP right now, instead of housing or high speed rail. Why is speculation such a large part of how we do infrastructure spending in the US?
open.spotify.com/episode/6onK...
Jenkins expresses skepticism about another user as power dense as a data center that could make use of a GW should the DC not show up, unless we start a new virgin Al industry.
We DO need clean steel, though, and our 7/8 blast furnaces will need 30+GW to replace
Jenkins expresses skepticism about another user as power dense as a data center that could make use of a GW should the DC not show up, unless we start a new virgin Al industry.
We DO need clean steel, though, and our 7/8 blast furnaces will need 30+GW to replace
How Clean Energy Could Prepare for an AI Bubble
open.spotify.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:08 PM
This is a very good episode with @advaitarun.bsky.social.
Really interesting moment when they were musing about why data centers were the thing driving 40% of GDP right now, instead of housing or high speed rail. Why is speculation such a large part of how we do infrastructure spending in the US?
Really interesting moment when they were musing about why data centers were the thing driving 40% of GDP right now, instead of housing or high speed rail. Why is speculation such a large part of how we do infrastructure spending in the US?
"Developers are publicly pursuing projects in at least 10 Michigan communities — all in the Lower Peninsula — while others are in confidential negotiations to buy power from the state’s major electricity utilities."
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
Data centers eyed in at least 10 Michigan towns. How they might change state - Bridge Michigan
A host of Michigan communities are weighing proposals for the hulking computing facilities? How many of those will come to fruition? And why is Michigan suddenly seeing a data center surge?
bridgemi.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:29 PM
"Developers are publicly pursuing projects in at least 10 Michigan communities — all in the Lower Peninsula — while others are in confidential negotiations to buy power from the state’s major electricity utilities."
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
Reposted by Erik Nordman
At a recent webinar, authors of a new National Academies publication on using #AI in state and local governments urged leaders to avoid the hype and instead use a careful, experimental approach.
Read more: https://ow.ly/wo4750Xuitx
Read more: https://ow.ly/wo4750Xuitx
November 19, 2025 at 7:02 PM
At a recent webinar, authors of a new National Academies publication on using #AI in state and local governments urged leaders to avoid the hype and instead use a careful, experimental approach.
Read more: https://ow.ly/wo4750Xuitx
Read more: https://ow.ly/wo4750Xuitx
Reposted by Erik Nordman
"...the technology can also be harmful if misapplied. In one high-profile example, around 40,000 Michigan residents were wrongly accused of unemployment insurance fraud based on a state AI system with a faulty algorithm and inadequate human oversight." 🤷♂️ // power grid
www.nerc.com/globalassets...
www.nerc.com/globalassets...
November 19, 2025 at 7:10 PM
"...the technology can also be harmful if misapplied. In one high-profile example, around 40,000 Michigan residents were wrongly accused of unemployment insurance fraud based on a state AI system with a faulty algorithm and inadequate human oversight." 🤷♂️ // power grid
www.nerc.com/globalassets...
www.nerc.com/globalassets...
"The researchers estimated the effects of the reinsurance shock on home prices in the ZIP codes most vulnerable to catastrophes... rising insurance premiums weighed down home values by ~ $20k in the top 25% of homes most exposed to catastrophic hurricanes and wildfires, and by $44k in the top 10%."
Rising Home Insurance Premiums Are Eating Into Home Values in Disaster-Prone Areas
Changes in the insurance market have started to affect home prices in the most disaster-prone areas, new research finds, pushing some homeowners’ finances to the breaking point.
www.nytimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:15 PM
"The researchers estimated the effects of the reinsurance shock on home prices in the ZIP codes most vulnerable to catastrophes... rising insurance premiums weighed down home values by ~ $20k in the top 25% of homes most exposed to catastrophic hurricanes and wildfires, and by $44k in the top 10%."