While this story is set in San Diego, the strategies and actions used there are equally applicable here. Please take a few minutes to read this — and then see what you can do to bring about the needed changes here. (With respect to Community Choice Aggregation [CCA], our challenge here might include enabling legislation at the state level.) Here's an excerpt that introduced … [Read more...] about A Template for Climate Action and Community Energy
Timely reminder of the horrors of war
It's the 50th anniversary of the Paris treaty that was supposed to end of the war in Vietnam — but the war continued for several more years. Despite all the other wars and losses since then, the US is now involved in “a protracted proxy war supporting Ukraine seeking separation and autonomy from Russia with no end in sight and likely in a similar stalemate like the Vietnam … [Read more...] about Timely reminder of the horrors of war
No Miracles Needed
How wind, sun, and water can power the world Mark Stanford, who teaches civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University, makes the case that existing technologies for renewable energy and energy conservation can meet all our energy needs. A January 23 article in The Guardian gives a brief recap: “ ‘No miracles needed’: Prof Mark Jacobson on how wind, sun and … [Read more...] about No Miracles Needed
Obscene treaty symbolizes what’s wrong
The Energy Charter Treaty referred to in the story is obscene — putting corporate profits over the lives of future generations and punishing governments that try to protect their people. (Although most governments today also seem to put corporate profits ahead of people.) Whether it's coal, oil, or natural gas, we need to keep it in the ground! No elaborate — and often bogus … [Read more...] about Obscene treaty symbolizes what’s wrong
Biden not living up to pledge about Cuba
The Biden administration has made some positive moves, but their overall record on Cuba is poor. As Cuba's foreign minister says, the Biden administration “is the one that has most aggressively and effectively applied the economic blockade” — worse than the Trump administration. (As is almost always the case, of course, US sanctions hurt the people far more than the … [Read more...] about Biden not living up to pledge about Cuba
A better world is possible — it’s up to us to make it happen
Some people, including right-wingers and liberal Democrats, may not appreciate Chomsky's forthright criticism of US foreign policy — including the war in Ukraine — but his analysis is worth taking the time to understand. Sanctions, of course, almost always hurt the people, whether you're talking about Russia, Iran, or Cuba. Noam Chomsky: Another World Is Possible. Let's … [Read more...] about A better world is possible — it’s up to us to make it happen
Recognizing the Rights of Nature
One path towards real environmental justice (EJ) is the growing movement to recognize that nature — encompassing plants, animals, and the air, land, and water — is not property, not something to own and exploit, but entities that have their own rights to exist and thrive. All too often EJ deals only with environmental racism and not the rights of all current and future beings … [Read more...] about Recognizing the Rights of Nature
Plastic Pollution — In Our Stores
I think this graphic makes the point. Stores are filled with their products — and people need to stop buying them! … [Read more...] about Plastic Pollution — In Our Stores
Electric buses far superior to propane or natural gas
Did you see the pathetic column on LehighValleyLive / Express Times the other day? ['A different approach to cleaner school buses could save Bethlehem Area tax dollars'] It is full of distortions and outright lies, but this is not too surprising coming from a propane-industry trade group. Electric buses are far superior to propane (and natural gas) both from a … [Read more...] about Electric buses far superior to propane or natural gas
Climate Colonialism / Carbon Colonialism
Settler colonialism, and the capitalism that accompanied it, is not only responsible for slavery and the genocide of Indigenous peoples. One of the major effects on the environment was treating it as a commodity or proper that people could own. Most Indigenous people recognized the living environment as a collection of interconnected beings, which is why the most effective … [Read more...] about Climate Colonialism / Carbon Colonialism