>>> COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

DETAILS ON A MASSIVE NEW SEMICONDUCTOR PACKAGING AND TESTING FACILITY THAT COULD BE BUILT IN PEORIA.

A WATER UTILITY COMPANY RESPONDS TO CALLS FOR INCREASED WATER REGULATION IN THE GILA BEND AREA.

AND A NEW BOOK OF SCIENCE FICTIONS AND ESSAYS LOOKS TO REIMAGINE THE FUTURE BY WAY OF CLIMATE ACTION.

THESE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

ARIZONA ANNOUNCED IT WAS JOINING A LAWSUIT FILED BY THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION TO STOP THE PROPOSED MERGER OF THE KROGER AND ALBERTSON'S SUPERMARKET CHAIN.

THE $25 BILLION DEAL WOULD RESULT IN THE LARGEST SUPERMARKET MERGER IN HISTORY.

THE FTC ALONG WITH THE ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL CHRIS MAIZE AND ATTORNEYS GENERAL FROM WASHINGTON STATE AND COLORADO, ALL CLAIM THAT THE MERGER WOULD ELIMINATE COMPETITION IN THE GROCERY INDUSTRY AND LEAD TO HIGHER PRICES FOR CONSUMERS.

MAIZE TODAY SAID SHE WAS, QUOTE, STANDING WITH THE FTC AND SUING TO BLOCK THE MERGER.

ARIZONA HAS 132 KROGER OUTLETS OPERATING UNDER THE FRY'S FOOD STORE AND ALBERTSON'S ALSO OWNS 132 STORES IN ARIZONA INCLUDING SAFEWAY SUPERMARKET THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.

COULD AROUND TODAY ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, UPPING AND INCLUDING CHOOSE WHICH CONTENT CAN AND CAN'T GO ON THE SITES.

OPPONENTS ARGUE THAT SUCH CONTROLS INFRINGE ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS BUT STATE OFFICIALS COUNTER THAT THEY ARE SIMPLY REGULATING BUSINESS BEHAVIOR, NOT FREE SPEECH, THE SUPREME COURT ALSO DECLINED TO HEAR A CASE INVOLVING A CALIFORNIA WOMAN WHO GOT A TRAFFIC TICKET FOR HONKING HER HORN DURING A PROTEST.

SHE ARGUED THAT HONKING HER HORN IN THIS CASE WITH THE PROTESTORS WAS INDEED FREE SPEECH AND INDEED IN THE PAST A SUPREME COURT HAS RULED THAT I WAS PROTECTED AND THAT FREE SPEECH MAY INCLUDE MORE THAN THE SPOKEN WORD, BUT IN THIS CASE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR IT.

>> A HUGE NEW SEMICONDUCTOR PACKAGING AND TESTING PLANT IS SET TO BE BUILT IN PEORIA BRINGING THOUSANDS OF JOBS TO THE AREA OVER THE NEXT DECADE.

HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT IS PEORIA'S MAYOR JASON BECK.

WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW.

SEMICONDUCTOR PACKAGING AND TESTING FACILITY, WHAT DOES THAT ALL MEAN.

>> THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE WAFER, WHETHER IT'S INTEL OR TSMC, IT'S ACTUALLY PRODUCED.

THE NEXT STEP OF THAT REALLY WHAT MAKES IT FUNCTION AND WORK, ONE IS THE TESTING OF IT, TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH ONE OF THE CHIPS ARE ACTUALLY CAPABLE OF ACTUALLY DOING WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO.

BUT IT'S ALSO THE PACKAGING OF IT.

THEY PACKAGE THAT SPECIFICALLY FOR COMPANIES LIKE APPLE, SPECIFICALLY.

YOU KNOW, THE MAJORITY OF THE IPHONE CHIPS WILL BE MADE IN THE CITY OF PEORIA THAT WILL BE PROPOSED AT TSMC.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THIS IS THE LARGEST SUCH FACILITY IN THE WORLD?

SPECIFICALLY IN THE UNITED STATES.

BUT 500,000 SQUARE FEET, 2,000 JOBS, $2 BILLION WORTH OF INFRASTRUCTURE.

IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE NORTHWEST VALLEY AND CHANGE ARIZONA AND ALSO GOING TO CHANGE THE UNITED STATES.

>> AMCORP, WHY DID THEY CHOOSE PEORIA.

>> WE HAVE AN AMAZING GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORKING IN OUR CITY GOVERNMENT.

I'D LOVE TO TELL YOU IT'S ACTUALLY THE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT MADE THIS HAPPEN, FROM CITY MANAGERS, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A VERY, VERY DYNAMIC TEAM OF CITY EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE REALLY TRIED DRIVE THE CULTURE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR CITY'S FUTURE AND FOR THE NORTHWEST VALLEY.

>> WITH THE TAIWANESE PLANT SO CLOSE UP THE ROAD IT DOESN'T HURT MATTERS.

>> NOT AT ALL.

BUT REALLY MAKING SURE THAT YOU ACTUALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR LOCAL, WHICH IS SEVEN AND A HALF MILES FROM THIS LOCATION THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY MOVING TO, AND REALLY, BEING ABLE TO ALIGN YOURSELVES WITH NOT ONLY SUBCONTRACTS OF TSMC BUT CONTRACTORS AND COMPANIES THAT WILL WORK AROUND THE ENVIRONMENT.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THIS PLANT AND TSMC WILL BE -- >> VERY SYMBIOTIC.

THEY WILL BE WORKING HAND IN HAND.

THE MAJORITY CHIPS THAT ARE MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR APPLE WILL GO THROUGH THE PEORIA PLANT.

>> AND CONSTRUCTION STARTS WHEN 2025.

>> FINISHES.

>> FIRST DAYS 2027 APPROXIMATELY 350 JOBS IN PHASE 1, AND IT WILL BE ABOUT A SEVEN TO EIGHT-YEAR PROJECT.

>> I NOTICE THE ENTIRE PROJECT HAS TO BE COMPLETED BY 2034, AND THERE ARE OTHER TARGETS THAT AMCORP IS REQUIRED TO MEET.

TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.

>> WE DID NOT JUST WANT TO SEE -- FOR US, WE WANTED TO PUT A PLAN TOGETHER THAT ALLOWED A COMPANY TO COME IN AND BE ABLE TO HAVE CHECKS AND BALANCES TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE FOR THE FUTURE OF PEORIA.

TO BE ABLE TO -- FOR US TO BE ABLE TO POUR INTO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN AND AROUND THIS FACILITY IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR COMPANIES TO ACTUALLY POUR IN, AS WELL.

IT'S SO ALMOST LIKE A CO-INVESTMENT, IF YOU WILL.

IT'S NOT REALLY A CO-INVESTMENT, WE DON'T OWN ANY OF THE COMPANY, BUT WE ARE POURING INTO THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE POURING INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND BEING ABLE TO DO SO.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND WE FELT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE CHECKS WITH THE GATES, IF YOU WILL FOR THAT COMPANY THAT'S ACTUALLY BRINGING THOSE JOBS, IF THEY WANT THINGS DONE, THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO POUR INTO IT, AS WELL.

IT'S A VERY STRONG ECONOMIC PLAN THAT WAS WORKED VERY HARD ON BY A LOT OF EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY OF PEORIA.

>> I'M SEEING A LAND PURCHASE DATE, A MINIMUM NUMBER OF FULL-TIME WORKERS, MINIMUM NUMBER OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT.

>> AND IF THEY DON'T, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE PENALTIES WITH THAT.

SO THEY'RE -- I CAN TELL YOU IT WAS PAST LAST TUESDAY BY CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY, 7-0, AND THEY ARE OFF TO THE RACES.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY MEETING IN OUR CITY TOMORROW, I THINK THEY HAVE A FIVE-HOUR MEETING PLANNED TOMORROW AND ALREADY LOOKING AT CONSTRUCTION TIMES AND ACTUALLY MOVING THE TIMELINE UP EVEN FASTER.

>> HOW MUCH WATER WILL BE NEEDED FOR THIS PLANT?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

AT ITS MAX CAPACITY 978,000 GALLONS A DAY.

ALL RECLAIMED WATER.

WE GET BACK OVER 80% OF THAT WATER ON A DAILY BASIS.

SO MAX TOTAL LOSS ON A DAILY BASIS IS ABOUT 200,000 GALLONS.

>> RECLAIMED WATER, DOES THAT MEAN THE RECYCLING PLANT HAS TO GO UP THERE, AS WELL.

>> IT DOES.

WE ALREADY HAVE RECLAIMED WATER THIS GOES INTO THAT AREA SPECIFICALLY, SO THEY WILL ACTUALLY BE TUNING THE WATER SPECIFICALLY TO GO INTO THAT ACTUAL FACILITY ITSELF.

AS FAR AS PUBLIC COMMENT AND CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS OF PEORIA, WHAT DO THEY THINK OF ALL IT?

>> I'VE HEARD ONLY GOOD THINGS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW MINE HICCUPS.

WE HAD A COMMENT THAT CAME TO A COUNCIL MEETING THIS LAST WEEK, GAVE A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT IT, WE'VE HEARD A FEW PEOPLE IN HAVE SAID, WELL, YOU'RE TAKING OUR DESERT AND DOING THESE TYPES OF THINGS.

AND THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO EVERY CITIZEN THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS ELECTED TO BRING IN CHANGE IN THE CITY OF PEORIA AND ELECTED TO FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

>> DURING THE ANNOUNCEMENT, YOU SAID THAT IS THE BEGINNING, I PROMISE YOU.

>> IT IS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS -- I THINK THERE'S TWO PIECES OF THIS, ONE IS THIS CHANGES OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE AND NATIONAL SECURITY PLATFORM, HAVING THE RE-SHORING OF TECH BACK INTO OUR COUNTRY AND BRINGING THESE MASTERING JOBS BACK INTO OUR COUNTRY AND NOT JUST THE UNITED STATES BUT ALSO SPECIFICALLY PEORIA AND NORTHWEST VALLEY AND ARIZONA ITSELF.

WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT CHANGES THE FUTURE OF OUR STATE, BUT IT ALSO CHANGES THE FUTURE OF OUR NATION AND NATIONAL SECURITY PLATFORM FROM THAT.

THE OTHER ASPECT OF THAT IS, THE OTHER COMPANIES THAT ARE IN AND AROUND AND WORKING AROUND BOTH THE AMCORP AND TSMC ENVIRONMENT, WE WILL BE HOPING TO COME BACK IN ABOUT A MONTH AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT.

>> MAYOR OF PEORIA, JASON BECK, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> APPRECIATE IT.

LAST WEEK WE TALKED WITH THE STATE OF THE -- THE DIRECTOR OF THE STATE WATER RESOURCES.

THERE HAVE BEEN DECLINES OF GROUND LEVELS OVER THE PAST DIFFERENT DECADES.

FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, WE WELCOME ROBERT VAN-HOFWEGEN, THE DISTRICT MANAGER OF PALOMA IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE DISTRICT.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> TELL US WHAT YOU DO.

>> WELL, WE MANAGE THE WATER OF ABOUT 30,000 ACRES IN THE GILA BEND BASIN, AND THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT 60% OF THE WATER IN GILA BEND.

>> OKAY.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE DECLINES OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DECADES AND THERE HAVE BEEN DECLINES.

NUMBERS ARE SHOWING DECLINES.

THAT'S INARGUABLE.

>> YES, SIR, THERE ARE DEFINITELY CHALLENGES IN THE GILA BEND BASIN FOR SURE.

IT DIDN'T V HAPPEN IN A VACUUM.

IT'S ROUGHLY SHOWING THE SAME AMOUNT OF AGRICULTURAL THAN IT DID 70 YEARS AGO, ROUGHLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT IN HOUSING AND BUSINESSES.

SO SOMETHING HAS CHANGED, AND I WOULD ARGUE THERE'S A FEW OTHER THINGS OTHER THAN JUST DEMAND >> WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

>> THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT.

THE MAIN THING IS A 25-YEAR DROUGHT, YOU CANNOT LOOK AT A 20-YEAR PERIOD IN A 25-YEAR DROUGHT AND EXPECT NOT TO SEE ANYTHING BUT BAD NUMBERS, BUT THERE'S OTHER THINGS, DAMS WERE RAISED AND WE'RE NOT SEEING THE WATER COME DOWN THE RIVER LIKE THEY USED TO.

THEY USED TO RECHARGE OUR AQUA FIR QUITE FREQUENTLY.

EVIDENCE SHOWS GOING BACK TO THE '50s THAT AQUIFERS WERE FAIRLY STABLE >> I KNOW THE DIRECTOR TALKED ABOUT SERIOUS ISSUES WITH SUBSIDENCE AND THE CRACKS IN THE SURFACE AND CAN ALSO AFFECT THOSE AQUIFERS IN KEEPING LESS WATER COMING IN.

DOES HE HAVE A POINT?

>> YOU KNOW, TO THE SCIENCE OF THAT, I'M SURE HE'S ACCURATE?

EVERYONE I'VE TALKED TO, WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY SIGNS OF -- ANY INDICATIONS THAT THE DIRECTOR SPOKE OF ANYWHERE IN OUR BASIN.

SO TO THIS POINT, WE DON'T SEE THOSE RESULTS.

>> SO YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE THIS AREA BECOME AN ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AREA >> WE DON'T FEEL THAT AN ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AREA IS THE RIGHT TOOL FOR GILA BAND >> BUT THE DIRECTOR TALKS ABOUT CONSERVANCY EFFICIENCY, WATER USE, OF COURSE THE 100-YEAR DEADLINE, 100-YEAR REQUIREMENT, THAT WILL BE IN PLACE AS WELL, ALL TO PROTECT THE BASIN.

DOES THAT NOT MAKE SENSE?

>> I THINK THAT REASONABLE REGULATION IS NEEDED.

I DON'T THINK AN ACTION MANAGEMENT AREA IS THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE BASIN.

ACTION MANAGEMENT AREAS ARE DESIGNED WITH A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF SURFACE WATER.

THAT DOESN'T PERTAIN TO MOST OF THE RURAL BASINS IN ARIZONA.

DON'T HAVE A RENEWABLE RIVER SUPPLY LIKE THE PHOENIX AREA DOES WITH THE CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT CANAL OR SALT RIVER PROJECT WITH THEIR RIVERS.

SO THE TOOLS AND THE WAYS IT WAS DESIGNED IS NOT BEST SUITED FOR RURAL ARIZONA.

THAT IS WHY WE ARE SUPPORTING SENATE BILL 1221.

IT IS A NEW IDEA WITH NEW TOOLS THAT BOTH THE DETECTOR AND OTHER PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT HAVE SAID WE NEED.

WE NEED A NEW TOOL TO MANAGE BASINS OUTSIDE OF THE PHOENIX AREA >> WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND BEING DECLARED AN ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AREA >> IT'S LOCALLY DRIVEN, AND IT'S FLEXIBLE.

IT ALLOWS FOR SOLUTIONS -- EVERY BASIN IN ARIZONA IS DIFFERENT.

EVEN THE DIRECTOR OF -- MR. PASASHKI SAID, SO YOU NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE IN THE TOOLS THAT ARE REQUIRED AND YOUR GOALS TO MANAGE THE BASIN FOR PEOPLE OF THAT REGION TO KEEP THEIR COMMUNITIES ACTIVE AND HEALTHY >> WHEN THE DIRECTOR SAYS BUSINESSES AREN'T GOING TO BE SHUTTING DOWN.

FARMS AREN'T GOING TO BE SHUTTING DOWN.

THEY'RE JUST BASICALLY TRYING TO REDUCE AND STABILIZE THOSE GROUND-WATER LEVELS, WHICH ARE GOING DOWN, HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT I WOULD WANT TO FIRST LEAD OFF WITH FARMERS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO CONSERVE.

IF -- WATER IS THE ONLY WAY WE SURVIVE, THE ONLY WAY WE HAVE BUSINESS.

SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO CONSERVE AND BE MORE EFFICIENT.

IT'S NOT LIKE WE NEED TOP-DOWN CONTROL TO TELL US THOUSAND DO THAT.

IN FACT, OUR DISTRICT HAS A LOT OF WATER SAVING DEVICE DEPLOYED RIGHT NOW AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES BEING SOUGHT OUT AND IMPLEMENTED >> THEY COULD ALSO BE USED WHILE YOU'RE DESIGNATED AS AN ACTION MANAGEMENT AREA.

>> AGAIN, AN ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AREA IS QUITE INFLEXIBLE IN THE WAY IT WORKS >> WOULD YOU PREFER AN IRRIGATION EXPANSION.

>> IS A GOOD FIRST STEP BUT -- IF THAT'S WHAT'S NEEDED.

I THINK THE BEST TOOL WOULD BE BILL 1221, IF WE CAN SEE THAT PATH >> IS IT REALISTIC TO EXPECT THE GRADUAL CHANGE OR FLEXIBLE CHANGE CAN DO THE JOB?

WHEN YOU MENTION DROUGHT, YOU MENTION DAMS AND THE FACT THAT THE WATER IS GOING AWAY AND NOT BEING RECHARGED AS IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.

THERE'S SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS OUT THERE, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE; DOES IT NOT?

WELL, WHEN THE RIVER RUNS, THE LAST TIME THE RIVER RAN, WE SAW 700,000 SQUARE FEET COME INTO OUR RIVER.

WE'RE SEEING A RECHARGE ALREADY I KNOW THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT'S A SHORT-LIVED RECHARGE.

BUT I DISAGREE RESPECTFULLY.

THAT RECHARGE IS STILL COMING UP, WE'RE STILL SEEING RESULTS OF LAST YEAR'S FLOOD.

LAST YEAR WAS A GOOD WATER YEAR THIS YEAR IT LOOKS AVERAGE OR MAYBE ABOVE AVERAGE.

WE COULD SEE THE RIVER AGAIN.

IF WE'RE OUT THIS DRY PERIOD AND SEE WATER START FLOWING, OUR BASIN HAS A HISTORY AND HAS SHOWN THAT IT CAN RECHARGE SIGNIFICANTLY IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

>> JUST THE PHRASE FINITE GROUND WATER IS INTIMIDATING.

>> IT SOUNDS SCARY >> DO YOU UNDERSTAND THOSE CONCERNS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

HOW DO YOU PROTECT THAT?

THAT GOES AWAY AND IS TOUGH TO COME BACK.

>> ABSOLUTELY, WE ARE VERY CONSCIOUS OF IT, WE ARE VERY CONCERNED AND WE'RE VERY AWARE AND PROACTIVE IN TRYING TO TAKE STEPS NEEDED.

AGAIN, WE ARE FOR REASONABLE REGULATION.

GROUND-UP, GROUND-DRIVEN, LOCALLY-DRIVEN WITH INPUT FROM THE LOCAL PEOPLE.

>> WE'RE GLAD HAD YOU A CHANCE TO SPEAK.

ROBERT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> TONIGHT ON THE NEWS HOUR, THE LATEST ON EFFORTS TO FREE MINORS FROM GAZA AND INDUSTRIAL'S PLAN TO EVACUATE PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS.

THAT'S AT 6:00 ON ARIZONA PBS.

>> A NEW COLLECTION OF ESSAYS AND SCIENCE FICTION LOOKS TO SPARK A REIMAGINED AND OPTIMISTIC FUTURE SHAPED BY CLIMATE CHANGE.

THE COLLECTION WAS PUT TOGETHER BY ASU'S CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND THE IMAGINATION.

JOINING US NOW IS CENTER'S FOUNDING DIRECTOR ED FINN.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> THIS WAS AN INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF WRITERS.

WHAT WERE THEY CHARGED TO DO?

>> IT'S SO CLIMATE CHANGE IS SUCH AN ABSTRACT, SLOW-ROLLING, COMPLICATED CRISIS THAT MOST OF US DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO GET OUR ARMS AROUND IT.

WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO AND THE INSPIRATION, AND THE CHARGE FOR THESE WRITERS WAS HOW CAN WE IMAGINE HOPEFUL FUTURES IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, TO INSPIRE PEOPLE WITH STORIES AND TO GET COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS BE AROUND THE WORLD TO IMAGINE THEIR OWN CLIMATE FUTURES AND THAT BY GOING THROUGH AN EXERCISE OF IMAGINING POSSIBLE FUTURES WE MIGHT INSPIRE CHANGE IN THE PRESENT.

>> DID IT HAVE TO BE A DECARBONIZED FUTURE?

WE DIDN'T SET ANY BOUNDARIES, AND SOME OF THE STORIES IN THIS BOOK IS NOT ESPECIALLY HOPEFUL, NOT ALL SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS.

BUT THEY'RE MEANINGFUL, IMPACTFUL STORIES THAT ALLOW US TO EMPATHIZE WITH, TO PROJECT OURSELVES AND RIDE ON THE SHOULDERS OF REAL PEOPLE LIVING THROUGH THESE FUTURES, AND THEY ALL HAVE AN ELEMENT OF HOPE.

THEY HELP US PRACTICE HOPE.

>> YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY, I SAW A PHRASE, MAKE THE CASE FOR RECKLESS OPTIMISM.

THAT SOUNDS INTERESTING.

>> YEAH.

I THINK THAT'S A REALLY WONDERFUL OPENING ESSAY FOR THE COLLECTION, AND IT -- I THINK THAT WE NEED THAT BECAUSE MOST OF THE STORIES WE TELL ABOUT CLIMATE, AND IF YOU ASK YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, THERE'S A LOT OF AN 80, EVEN DESPAIR, PEOPLE DON'T -- THERE'S A LOT OF ANXIETY, EVEN DESPAIR, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO CON TEND WITH IT.

IF WE ONLY TALK ABOUT THE THINGS WE'RE FIGHTING AGAINST, WE ARE NEVER GOING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING FOR.

WHAT DO WE INSTAGRAM.

>> INCLUDING FICTION HERE, WHY INCLUDE SCIENCE FICTION AS OPPOSED TO RESEARCH AS OPPOSED TO FUTURISTIC THINKING AND THESE SORTS OF THINGS?

>> IT'S SO, FIRST, WE CAN'T THINK WITHOUT FEELING.

THEY'RE CONNECTED, AND SCIENCE FICTION STORIES, WELL-CRAFTED STORIES OF ANY KIND, HELP US TO FEEL THE FUTURE, NOT JUST THINK ABOUT IT.

SO IT'S MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE THAN A BLUEPRINT OR EVEN THAT KIND OF DRY SCENARIO THAT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE CHARACTERS IN IT.

AND THE SECOND REASON IS THAT AT ONE OF OUR LONG-TIME COLLABORATORS, NOT A PART OF THIS PROJECT, NEIL STEVENSON WOULD SAY A GOOD SCIENCE FICTION STORY COULD SAVE YOU HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF MEETINGS AND POWER POINTS BECAUSE IT LITERALLY PUTS EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE.

>> YEAH, ONE OF THE STORIES TITLES "LEARNING TO DWELL IN MULTISPECIES FUTURES."

HOLY SMOKES.

THAT'S PRETTY GOOD STUFF.

ALSO, "THE MOTHER SHIP COMES TO THE HEART OF THE OCEAN."

THAT'S BIG STUFF.

>> THEY'RE REALLY FASCINATING.

AND ONE THING THAT I LEARNED AS A PART OF THIS PROJECT IS TO SEE THE WRITERS -- WE REALLY SET OUT TO DRAW AN INTERNATIONAL CAST, AND I THINK WE HAD WRITERS FROM 14 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES CONTRIBUTING, AND PEOPLE BRING VERY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

THE LAST STORY YOU MENTIONED IS BY A CHINESE WRITER AND ALSO AN URBAN PLANNER CHINA.

AND THE WAY THAT SHE THINKS ABOUT DESIGN AND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE PART OF A CITY AND HOW IS THAT MIGHT CHANGE AND HOW THINGS LIKE ALGORITHMS AND COMPUTERS MIGHT CHANGE OUR SENSE OF THE COLLECTIVE IS REALLY POWERFUL AND VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I THINK AN AMERICAN WRITER WOULD HAVE COME UP WITH.

>> INTERESTING.

WHO IS THIS COLLECTION WRITTEN FOR?

>> IT'S WRITTEN FOR ALL OF US, BUT I'D SAY ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, AND IT'S WRITTEN FOR ANYONE WHO'S FEELING LIKE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.

IF THERE'S MAYBE A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT OR COLLEGE STUDENT OUT THERE THINKING HOW CAN I START TO IDENTIFY THE FUTURE THAT I WANT TO WORK TOWARDS AND START THAT CONVERSATION.

BECAUSE THE STORY, SCIENCE FICTION IS JUST MAKE-BELIEVE.

WE CAN PRETEND AND TALK TOGETHER ABOUT THESE POSSIBILITIES, BUT THOSE MAKE-BELIEVE STORIES, THAT'S HOW YOU CHANGE THE REAL FUTURE.

YOU HAVE TO TELL A NEW STORY ABOUT THE FUTURE.

>> WHERE CAN WE GET AHOLD THIS THING.

>> CLIMATEALMANAC.ORG.

THE WHOLE BOOK IS AVAILABLE FOR FREE RIGHT NOW.

I INVITE EVERYBODY TO COME AND CHECK IT OUT.

THERE'S AN AMAZING TRAILER VIDEO AS WELL, A NARRATIVE STORY YOU CAN CHECK OUT AND A TON OF OTHER CONTENT, AS WELL.

>> ALL RIGHT, "THE CLIMATE ALMANAC," HUH?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> THANKS FOR SHARING, WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.