Here are four very serious problems with natural gas: (1) drilling & fracking cause major emissions that harm the health of people and animals within a mile or so of the site; (2) indoor uses of natural gas (including in gas stoves) produce nitrous oxides that endanger people's health; (3) fracking wastewater is toxic and often highly radioactive; and (4) natural gas is a … [Read more...] about What’s so bad about natural gas?
Peter's blog
Thoughts on sustainability, regeneration, social justice, and more….
Palestine Writes Literary Festival
The upcoming Palestine Writes Literary Festival to be held at Penn has drawn the predictable charges of anti-semitism, where any criticism of Zionism or the state of Israel is conflated with being against the Jewish people or Judaism. If this is an issue that interests or troubles you — or if you care about academic freedom — I suggest you take time to read the attached … [Read more...] about Palestine Writes Literary Festival
Bright Green Lies
This book made me recall the line 'Stop the world — I want to get off'. (I think it's actually the title of a Broadway musical back in the 1960s.) I won't attempt to do a review of Bright Green Lies,* but the opening gives you a glimpse of the problem: “We need to stop being guided by the general story that we can have it all,” Derrick concluded, “that we can have an … [Read more...] about Bright Green Lies
Making Lithium Batteries
EV and their batteries don't only create huge environmental, health, and environmental justice problems in the mining process— they also create problems in the factories that make the batteries. This story describe harmful working conditions in the Ultium Cells plant in Ohio, but the same problems are found in other plants as well. Like other 'clean energy' plants, they have … [Read more...] about Making Lithium Batteries
Neocolonialism v. Stewardship & Rights of Nature
It's widely accepted that electric vehicles [EV] are a solution to the fossil-fuel problem. Unfortunately, the huge demand for lithium and other minerals is actually creating another massive wave of environmental degradation and environmental injustice. Have we learned nothing in the last 100 years about the disastrous effects of colonialism and irresponsible extraction‽ We … [Read more...] about Neocolonialism v. Stewardship & Rights of Nature
Carbon Dioxide Waste Injection in Our Forests?
[Source: SEHN, the Science and Environmental Health Network.] By Carmi Orenstein, Editor The federal government—continuing to crowd out the real climate solutions we so urgently need—has another wasteful and risky carbon capture and storage (CCS) plan in the works. The United States Forest Service (USFS) quietly announced that, for the first time, it could allow … [Read more...] about Carbon Dioxide Waste Injection in Our Forests?
Victory for Montana Youth Climate Suit
A little over a month ago, I posted some information about youth-led efforts to propel climate action & climate justice forward. [July 2, Youth Turn up the Heat]. It's great to be able to report that they won the lawsuit to protect their — and everyone's — right to a clean and healthy environment. The judge ruled that these rights are protected by the Montana constitution … [Read more...] about Victory for Montana Youth Climate Suit
“Youth Turn Up the Heat”
A story in Lever News reports on Climate Defiance, a new youth-led group/movement that calls out politicians' hypocrisy. (funded in part by the Climate Emergency Fund) In the three months since it was founded, Climate Defiance has organized high-profile actions including blockading the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, shutting down a speech by Sen. Joe Manchin … [Read more...] about “Youth Turn Up the Heat”
Reimagining our relationship with nature
Truthout just published a good story titled 'Let’s Accept Climate Science — And Also Reimagine Our Relationship to the Earth'. One thing the makes this article unique is its recognition that our relationship to climate change is not only a scientific one — in fact, for most of us, the science is not as important as other aspects. Science is critical in our understanding of … [Read more...] about Reimagining our relationship with nature
Urgent climate action can secure a liveable future
INTERLAKEN, Switzerland, March 20, 2023 —There are multiple, feasible and effective options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human-caused climate change, and they are available now, said scientists in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released today. “Mainstreaming effective and equitable climate action will not only … [Read more...] about Urgent climate action can secure a liveable future