I am dismayed to read about Collin Peterson, the Minnesota Democrat who is chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and was lovingly profiled by the Times a couple of days ago.

"Peterson says he does not set out to be a contrarian," the story says, but based on some of his comments, I begin to wonder if he sets out to be a bonehead, instead.

A couple of dozen participants in the Energy Smackdown gathered for pizza, veggies, soda, and celebration last night at the Regent Theatre in Arlington to cap off the energy-saving competition's second season.

About 30 families from Arlington, Medford, and Cambridge vied for team and individual honors in the yearlong effort, whose larger purpose was to explore, experience, and model strategies for reducing humankind's impact on the planet.

Please note this post is listed under "rants," and you may do well just to skip over it.

I have been struggling lately not to go over to the SUV drivers — and others — who are sitting idly by, running their engines without intent of moving, so they can have their air conditioning in 70-degree swelter.

Here's a treat you've no doubt been denied all your life, but now it's within your reach: a chocolate toilet! Do you chomp on the tank first, or go right for the bowl?

The Energy Smackdown, a high-spirited, good-natured competition among teams of energy-conscious households will mark the end of the most recent campaign — and look forward to its next — Wednesday evening at the Regent Theatre in Arlington Center.

I've recently come in contact with Mats Lederhausen, a former McDonald's leader who has some very interesting, inspiring, and provocative positions on the future, specifically about business but, to me, applicable to our world beyond. I didn't intend to share anything about him today, and don't expect to come back to him in the future.

But this comment, found here, is just plain worth sharing...

The facet I like most about Charlie Radoslovich's Rad Urban Farmers business model is that he is a farmer without any land. From the top, you know he's either a wacko or on to something significant. I'm thinking it's the latter.

He told me he didn't devise the ideas, but he's certainly on the front edge of the wave. If he's successful, think how much land under lawn-grass cultivation could be converted to productive use.

b.good is a four-restaurant chain that wears its principles on its sleeve, which include emphasis on whole foods and community. That makes for likely kinship with the folks at Green City Growers, whom I wrote about for the Globe this week. 

The leaders of the climate change legislation in the House will participate in a conference call at 4:30 p.m. Eastern tomorrow (Wednesday 6/10) organized by 1Sky, Energy Action Coalition, Green for All, and the US Climate Action Network.

To submit proposed questions for responses on the call by House Committee staffers following the briefing, send them now to billquestions@1sky.org

The phone number for the call is 800-391-2548. The passcode is 28643226#.

Joe Romm makes a point I love in an essay today at Climate Progress. 

It does not do to call those on the other side of the climate-change question "skeptics." As he says, they are not skeptics at all — their minds are made up.