Greetings Earthlings. Another year, another time to remind: "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" The more they throw at us the more we dig in. Kevin A. Young, Associate Professor of History at UMass Amherst joins us to ring in the New Year with observations recently published in Truthout titled "12 Ways We Can Exploit Fossil Fuel Industry Vulnerabilities — Even Under Trump." He also works on campus with this group. Also, right from the getgo, a reminder for the locals: Saturday January 18, 12:15 to 3pm. Our Projects for 2025 - Envisioning the World We Want, at the Second Congregational Church, 16 Court Square, Greenfield, MA. More on that later. As always, we will also intro you to this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and Those Whose Brains Were Small, as well as our Doublespeak of the Week, Critter of the Week, The Enviro Show Echo Chamber and more but first it's time for.........Revenge of the Critters! Bear hunters beware.
This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is a long running fool we're surprised we didn't get to long ago. Repugnican senator of South Carolina Lindsey Graham, the guy who bashed His Malignancy from the floor just a few hours after the failed J6 insurrection and, like so many other MAGA freaks, turned around and supported him on any number of lame things including The Mad King's return to The White House. Graham's an old fool and he acts the part almost daily.
Since we're tearing the covers off of bad players here, how about some perfect examples for "Their Brains Were small and They Died" ? This report surfaced in Amherst Indy and led with this: "Marathon Petroleum, Vistra Energy, Standard Industries and Dow are among the nation’s largest corporate polluters, according to updated data released today by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Political Economy Research Institute." We knew decades ago that Big Oil sucks (literally!) but these corporados sit right on top of the steaming pile. "The Greenhouse 100 Suppliers Index ranks companies by their supply of products that result in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when released, combusted or oxidized. The top four firms are petroleum refiners: Marathon Petroleum, Exxon Mobil, Valero Energy and Phillips 66. Marathon, Exxon Mobil and Phillips also extract natural gas. The top four each produced fossil fuels that yielded at least 240 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions." Presumably, all those dinosaurs and their enablers will make things worse in the next four years, should they survive the asteroid they made.
Let's slip in a little levity here in The Enviro Show Echo Chamber as a sort of New Year's gift to all you listeners who are brave enough to endure our bad news all these years. We think you might (just might) get a kick out of " centenarian Jimmy Carter: America’s Greatest Environmental President." Finally, as noted above, we will be gladly participating and cosponsoring on Saturday January 18, 12:15 to 3pm, the "Our Projects for 2025 - Envisioning the World We Want" gathering at the Second Congregational Church, 16 Court Square, in Greenfield, MA. This event is a continuation of eight years of progressive
protests against Trump and the MAGA Republican values he represents. We will present our own alternative vision of
the world we want in order to counter his support of corporate greed and
disregard for democracy as well as the attacks his allies plan on human, reproductive, social, economic, health
and environmental justice through their Project 2025 (cf. www.project2025.org/ ).Come out and visit us as we all prepare for....(theme song please) the return of His Malignancy The Mad King.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in a year-end message..that "we have no time to lose" in the face of the worsening global climate crisis, which pushed temperatures to a record high this year and supercharged deadly extreme weather around the world.This is climate breakdown in real time. We must exit this road to ruin," he continued. "In 2025, countries must put the world on a safer path by dramatically slashing emissions and supporting the transition to a renewable future. It is essential—and it is possible."What’s Behind Trump’s Interest in Greenland and the Panama Canal? The Canal seems pretty obvious but Greenland? Here it is: "Greenland’s retreating ice could open up areas to drill for oil and gas and places to mine critical minerals, a fact that has already attracted international interest and raised concerns about environmental harms." Yes, like His Malignancy says, "Drill baby, drill" 😠 And some good news from The Empire State: [Gov.] "Hochul Signs Law That Penalizes Companies for Greenhouse Gas Emissions". The NY Times piece goes on: "The legislation, called the Climate Change Superfund Act, mandates that the companies responsible for the bulk of carbon emissions buildup between 2000 and 2024 pay about $3 billion each year for 25 years....The law takes particular aim at the oil and gas companies that produced more than one billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions globally over the last 24 years." But it's send in the lawyers before any penalties can be levied on Big Oil.
Our Doublespeak of the Week comes from some nameless "spokesperson" at the U.S. Forest Service: "What we know from listening to scientists across the country as well as Indigenous knowledge holders is that some active management in old and mature forests is likely required, including some areas where biomass must be removed before returning fire to the landscape..” Forest scientists, such as Beverly Law, a professor emeritus at Oregon State and an expert on the forest carbon cycle, and Dominick DellaSala, chief scientist at forest advocacy group Wild Heritage, have accused the Forest Service of cherry-picking science that supports increased logging while ignoring a growing body of research showing old-growth forests’ resistance to fire and capacity for storing carbon.
Sticking with the "of the week" theme it's time for our Critter of the Week. The North Atlantic Right Whale is listed as Critically Endangered. Their migration pattern brings them up the Atlantic coastline to Massachusetts beginning around March. Along the way they are exposed to ship strikes by the ever increasing traffic in shipping lanes and, in the summer months by careless recreational boaters in our waters. Back in the whaling days, the species got its common name because they were the "right whale" to hunt and kill for their oil. Thankfully, those days are long gone (except for some rogue nations like Japan, Iceland & Norway). That said, our warm weather coastal visitors are still threatened by us humans. Our Enviro Show Action Link HERE calls on The Prez to immediately issue the pending rule that would require boats to slow down for the whales.
After our conversation with Kevin it's on to the Bus Stop Billboard:
Weekly on Tuesdays & Thursdays. The MA State House Stand Out is back in a new incarnation! This historic climate action lasted for 14 months and engaged hundreds of volunteers from across the climate movement. Volunteers are needed!The new version, lovingly referred to as Stand Out Two, happens at the Massachusetts State House between 10 am and 2 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
This is a great way to participate in the climate movement with no risk
of arrest! Volunteers normally sign up for a 2 hour “shift." If you have questions about the Stand Out or would like to get a link to the sign-up sheet please contact organizers at fossilfuels.standout.ma@
January Weekdays MA Democratic Party Listening Tour will consist of virtual public forums held via Zoom. They’re excited to announce the dates and times of all nine of these forums HERE.
Wednesday January 8, 7- 8 pm. The Science of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs): Types of SAFs, their stages of development, their promise and limitations. Webinar for Policymakers and the Public: Much of the research and policy conversation about the future of “sustainable aviation fuels” has been funded by the aviation industry.This webinar features independent researchers who receive no aviation industry support. Go HERE
Thursday January 9, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Join Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Undersecretary of Energy Michael Judge, State Representative Natalie M. Blais, 1st Franklin District for a webinar. Sen. Comerford will be speaking at this webinar, which is encouraging,
but it's also sponsored by logging enthusiast, The Nature Conservancy, so it's definitely
worth having tree and forest advocates present to defend forests & trees. Please attend. Register to attend the online meeting here: https://tnc.zoom.us/.../
Thursday January 9, 3pm. What’s clear is that a healthy segment of elite society is greeting Trump 2.0 with open arms. From media institutions, to corporations, to wayward elected Democrats with their tails tucked between their legs -- the capitulation caucus has been growing. But on the ground, I see a wave of courageous opposition building -- and we need this to win. Join Indivisible’s co-founders Ezra and Leah for a live discussion about what we’ve learned so far from this new congress and how to prepare for what’s to come. Most of our time will be spent on Q&A, so submit questions below and/or come ready to engage with your fellow Indivisible members from across the country! Register HERE.
Thursday January 9, 4 to 5:30pm. Is Democracy Dead? Virtual presentation with Austin Sarat of Amherst College. Go HERE
Saturday January 11, Noon to 1pm. Rally to Save Our Oldgrowth Forest and Cancel the Telephone Gap Logging Project! Please arrive as close to 11:30 as possible to help with parking logistics; the rally will begin at Noon. (Rain date Jan 12th at the same time.) Green Mountain National Forest Supervisor's Office, Mendon, VT (4387 U.S. Route 4 East, Mendon, VT 05701). The US Forest Service has approved a draft plan to cut nearly 11,000-acres in the Telephone Gap area including 800 acres of old-growth forest. The project will release as much carbon as 60,000-gas powered passenger vehicles driven over a year. Join us to call on the Biden Administration to cancel the Telephone Gap project and for permanent protections to our National Forest! More info HERE.
Tuesday January 14, 12 Noon to 1:30pm. The incoming Trump administration and Congress could
seek major cuts to energy-saving programs, but what that looks like
depends on the work that program supporters do. ACEEE, American
Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, is planning to be heavily
involved in these debates. For the latest information on what we know
about what the new administration and Congress are likely to do and
what the key fights are likely to be, please join ACEEE Executive
Director Steve Nadel for a virtual discussion. Go HERE.
Wednesday, January 15, 2pm. Harnessing Urban Forests for Natural Disaster Resilience. Join us for an insightful webinar on the crucial role urban forests play in mitigating the growing impacts of natural disasters, including record-breaking heatwaves, devastating floods, catastrophic wildfires, and more. Urban forests act as natural shields against extreme heat, enhance water absorption to prevent flooding, and help reduce air pollution. Go HERE.
Saturday January 18, 12:15 to 3pm. Our Projects for 2025 - Envisioning the World We Want, Second Congregational Church, 16 Court Square, Greenfield, MA. Following the weekly Peace Vigil on the Greenfield Common, 11am-noon, our January 18 program will bring together local civil society groups, speakers, musicians and the public, invited to share hopes and plans for the coming year. The program, now in planning, will include space to share information and meet with those interested, and a simple lunch provided by participating groups.
January 18, 2025 All Day. People's March in Washington, DC, and across the country. Tens of thousands of people will march to demand and defend our freedoms against fascism and the attacks on our communities. Go HERE.
Sunday January 26, 7 - 9pm. Honoring Randy Kehler’s Activism and Impact. A virtual memorial. Many of us were not able to attend Randy’s memorial service on August 23rd in Greenfield MA. Therefore, on Sunday, January 26 from 7 - 9pm ET, we’ll provide an opportunity for people nationwide to honor and reflect on Randy’s activism as inspiration to continue the fight for a more just and peaceful world, notably one week after Donald Trump’s inauguration. We’ll hear from family members and people who worked with Randy, from his draft resistance, Traprock Peace Center and Nuclear Freeze days to more recent campaigns, including climate justice. Register HERE.
Tuesday, February 11, 7pm on zoom. Second Annual Conversation with MA Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer as she shares an update and discusses plans to ameliorate climate change in the Commonwealth. . This event will be hosted by Congregation Or Atid Climate Action Committee in partnership with Jewish Climate Action Network. The event is free and open to the public. Register HERE.
OK, that's all folks except .........what? Listen to your Mother!!
No comments:
Post a Comment