I think we all owe a debt of thanks to Greta Thunberg, a 15-year-old from Sweden, for her speech calling out 'leaders' for their failure to lead! Some excerpts from her remarks (at COP-24 in Katowice, Poland): We can no longer save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed. So we have not come here to beg the world leaders to care for our future. … [Read more...] about Thank you, Greta!
Peter’s blog: A Tale of Two Disasters — and U.S. Response
On 9-11-2001, terrorists (mostly Saudi) attacked the World Trade Center in New York, killing 2996 people. The US allowed Saudis to leave the US after the attack and has maintained good relations with Saudi Arabia — while pouring trillions of dollars into war on Afghanistan and the Iraq. Those wars killed least half a million people, with estimates ranging as high as 1.2 … [Read more...] about Peter’s blog: A Tale of Two Disasters — and U.S. Response
Peter’s blog: ‘What could we be learning from others?’
A recent article by Janice Lee ('What Humanity Can Learn From Plants'), raises this question. It's well worth reading! Lee asks why we value 'scientific' knowledge over all other ways of knowing and points out some other limitations of our ways, such as rendering non-human living beings as 'it', as if they were inanimate objects. She suggests we could learn a lot from trees … [Read more...] about Peter’s blog: ‘What could we be learning from others?’
Peter’s blog: ‘Development can be sustainable — or destructive’
Some municipalities require impact assessments for proposed projects, but they often are inadequate or focus primarily on economic considerations. An integrated and comprehensive sustainability impact assessment is essential to understanding the range of inter-related impacts a project will have on climate change, community, health, environment, and economy. This summer, a … [Read more...] about Peter’s blog: ‘Development can be sustainable — or destructive’
Acknowledging the original inhabitants of this area
We are located in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, an area that is a small part of what was Lenni-Lenapé territory. The Lenni-Lenape apparently were friendly and accommodating, until the settlers gradually — and often violently — forced them from their territory. We acknowledge the injustice and mistreatment indigenous people faced as a result of colonialism, and we recognize that … [Read more...] about Acknowledging the original inhabitants of this area
Peter’s blog: ‘Thanksgiving & Colonialism’
Thanksgiving Day seems an appropriate time to post this brief historical note about Colonialism in the United States. I'll start by mentioning that this is the original territory of the Lenape, now known as the Delaware. Like most parts of North America, Pennsylvania & New Jersey were occupied by Indigenous people for thousands of year before the first European settlers … [Read more...] about Peter’s blog: ‘Thanksgiving & Colonialism’
Peter’s blog: ‘Cheyenne River Sioux statement on Keystone XL spill’
Note: The figure of 210,000 gallons came from the pipeline operator; I suspect it will prove to be 2 or 3 times the initial figure. EAGLE BUTTE, SOUTH DAKOTA, 18 November 2017 —American Indian tribes have opposed the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline since it was announced. The tribes have longed fear the danger of oil leaks which are inevitable. After the existing Keystone … [Read more...] about Peter’s blog: ‘Cheyenne River Sioux statement on Keystone XL spill’
Peter’s blog: ‘The nerve of those Russians!’
With all the trash-talking about Russia interfering in the 2016 election, it might be good to remember that most of it is probably just political propaganda—and to remember that the US is continually interfering in elections in other countries. Also take a look at a recent Defense Intelligence Agency report, entitled “Russia: Military Power: Building a military to support … [Read more...] about Peter’s blog: ‘The nerve of those Russians!’
Moravian College at COP-23 in Bonn!
Monday, November 6–17 Moravian College is one of a handful of US colleges with official observer status under UNFCCC.Follow their Moravian College at UNFCCC blog for updates & insights into what's happening at COP-23. … [Read more...] about Moravian College at COP-23 in Bonn!
Censorship – by Amazon & Google
I've noticed before that certain films do not show up in some searches, especially those about Palestine or critical of the neo-fascists in the government of Ukraine. Even films such as Where Shall the Birds Fly?, which had an astonishing 9.3 rating on the Internet Movie Database were not to be found on Amazon. Google searches divert people from controversial, … [Read more...] about Censorship – by Amazon & Google