New subject: [CCLmembers] Regarding furnaces, space heaters and CCL.

25 Sep 2021

Regarding furnaces, space heaters and CCL.

I don’t recall anyone asking CCL if we needed or wanted a furnace or a
space heater.

I think the whole process of working on the furnace and space heater is
distracting to the lab work we are doing, it is also making extra work for
us, and putting an added risk factor in place.

 I for one don’t want to repair the furnace or space heater in CCL.

Some of my reasons are:

1.       Oakland, CA has the best weather in the world.  As far as cold
weather, the thermometer only rarely goes below 45 degrees F at night in
winter.  This is not Siberia or N. Dakota, it’s Oakland.  Back in the 90’s
was the last time it got cold enough to turn on a heater for a few nights.

2.       It’s true that someone brought in a small electric heater to CCL.
I think they were sleeping at the lab or doing some web surfing.  The
Temescal library is only a few blocks away and they will likely have the
heat turned up for people to be comfortable as they read and snooze.  I
have worked at CCL even late at night for 5 years and have not noticed any
extremes of cold there.  CCL is a lab and it’s warm enough to do lab work
there year round.  There’s some garments that used to be known as “Long
Johns” Those and a cap or hoody all anyone ever needs to keep warm in CCL
in winter.  I think there should be a ban on heaters at CCL.  The small
heater I found left on with no one in the lab multiple times and unplugged
it.

3.       CCL is about working on making a better tomorrow and we have a lot
of challenges to meet with things like global warming.  That’s something I
think we all need to take responsibility for.  Humans will soon be higher
on the endangered species list if we don’t.  Furnaces and heaters, large or
small draw a lot of power, gas and/or electricity, and are not sustainable,
and not energy efficient by any means.  It takes a tremendous amount of
energy to heat a space the size of the Omni commons building.  What effect
does this use of gas and electricity have on global warming?  Does it not
make perfect sense to put on warm socks and underwear, a wool cap and be
warm as toast without using large amounts of these resources to heat a
large space?  Hello, this is the 21st century and we do need to mend our
ways for the sake of future generations, and life on earth in general.   So
as far as CCL goes, I say no to heaters.

4.       I have been informed by our treasurer, Michael Arent that CCL and
also the Omni are facing some financial difficulties.  It seems like at
this time we need to be careful about spending money.  There are a number
of projects at the Omni commons that would seem to have priority over
heating concerns.  A roof that doesn’t leak when it rains, for example.
Paying for gas and electricity to heat the building doesn’t seem to be
necessary at all.  Let’s consider selling the furnace as scrap metal and
raise some small funds for repairing the Omni.

5.       Lab work takes a great deal of focus and we don’t wish to have the
disturbances of any work going on overhead.  We have a great deal of
materials and time invested in what we are doing.  I’m the one who asked
for the COI and an incident is fresh in my memory of a friend’s lab in
Oakland where some work was being done and a very heavy piece of metal came
crashing down from a high roof to land on a workstation, damaging
equipment.  If anyone had been sitting at that workbench at the time, they
probably would have been killed or crippled.  Of course I want to know who
is going to be responsible for any injuries or damage done and that
COI should be approved by CCL before any work takes place at the lab. Then
I wouldn't need to bring it up at an inconvenient time.  We also strongly
feel that the labwork we are doing is so much more important than working
on the heating system.  A couple projects at CCL are involved with public
health (matters of life and death) and we don’t wish to be distracted by
activities overhead or have to do additional cleanup work because of them.
We really have enough on our plates and would appreciate being left alone
to do our work undisturbed.  Please desist.  No need for heaters at CCL.
Let's hear from some of the others who are in the lab year round, are you
reasonably comfy or not?  What concerns do you have and what improvements
would you like to see at CCL in the year to come?
Best wishes always,
Eddy Spinner
CCL Lab Rat