chancellor@umass.edu. Speaking of endangered animals, we will also take you to meet this week's Fool-on-the Hill and to poke around The Enviro Show Echo Chamber, as well as checkout if we are still Backslidin" with Biden, but first it's time for Revenge of the Critters! People who "take in the natural, undisturbed beauty" should probably not swim in Beaver ponds!
This week's Fool-on-the-Hill was also last week's Fool-on-the-Hill and probably will be in the coming weeks, but Margie Greene isn't just a fool, she is totally unhinged and a lot like her idle the fascist former Mad King. This from Salon: "From endorsing the execution of several Democratic lawmakers prior to her election to Congress to her downplaying of COVID-19 to her role in inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, — during which she was apparently gleeful....Greene is not new to controversy." To put it mildly.
In The Enviro Show Echo Chamber we echo some groups who are deeply concerned about critters with whom we share the planet. We should point out before we start, this New York Times piece on the 23 species that have just recently become extinct. Welcome to the Sixth Extinction! Let's start now with The Endangered Species Coalition and frightening plight of the Florida Manatees. They are losing their fight for survival at alarming rates.
Already this year, 890 manatees have died, breaking the annual record
of 830 manatee deaths in 2013. Loss of seagrass, water pollution, and
boat strikes are taking a deadly toll on these gentle giants. The
USFWS lowered their protection level from endangered to threatened in
2017. They need to reclassify manatees as endangered once again, to save
them from extinction. From the water to the sky, the Monarch Butterfly is still in big trouble regardless of recent encouraging signs here in the Valley. National Geographic has the rundown. Longtime listeners may recall our past reports on the highly endangered Rhinos. Now there's a bill in congress concerning the Black Rhino now and The African Wildlife Foundation is asking for your help.
Sad to say, we've found some more Backslidin' with Biden. In the wake of the Prez's UN General Assembly speech last week there was some grumbling among the NGO's: "President Biden wants to 'rally the world' to action and speaks about
leading by example. In order to truly lead, the United States must
genuinely do its fair share of climate action," said Brandon Wu,
ActionAid USA's director of policy and campaigns. "That means drastic
domestic emissions reductions, and massively scaled-up climate finance
to enable reductions and support frontline communities in poorer
countries." And this: "The Line 3 Pipeline expansion project continues to move forward
in Minnesota without so much as a word from President Biden despite
protests that have been going on for years." How about having a word with him about that......again? BTW, "the Biden administration argued recently that climate change ”does not
present sufficient cause” to halt its plan to expand offshore drilling,
and that it plans to move forward with the expansion" according to Civic Shout? O, and this from Food & Water Watch: "During the campaign, Biden made it clear where he stood: “No
more drilling on federal lands, period.”
From a climate perspective, Biden’s pledge was prudent and necessary;
fossil fuel development on federal lands accounts for almost a quarter
of the country’s total greenhouse
gas emissions. Since
taking office, however, the Biden administration has approved thousands
of new oil and gas drilling permits.
Food & Water Watch has been comprehensively
tracking the many pro-fossil fuels statements and decisions made since the start of the administration." Too much Backslidin'!
Time for our Enviro Show Quote of the Week which calls for yet another journey into the Wayback Machine:
“The assumption that animals are without rights and the illusion that
our treatment of them has no moral significance is a positively
outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal
compassion is the only guarantee of morality.”
―
October 11-15, All Day . President Biden: Build Back Fossil Free. Fossil fuel pollution and climate disasters are already disrupting millions of lives. We deserve a world beyond fossil fuels: a world in which workers’ rights, community health, and our shared climate come before corporate profits. That’s why we are coming together to ensure Biden becomes the climate president he promised to be before attending the global climate talks this November. Indigenous people, pipeline fighters, water protectors, young people, scientists, faith leaders, and more are saying enough is enough: it's time to finally place people over fossil fuels. [Wait! what about the Trees??] Go HERE.
Friday, October 15⋅9:00 – 11:00am. Zoom DCR Stewardship Council Meeting. Usually Monthly on the second Thursday, but this time it is on Friday. Zoom Meeting ID: 834 5403 8777
Password: 976809
Internet access link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
October 17 & 18. Faiths 4 Climate Justice. As people of faith, we believe that the Earth and all people are sacred. UU Ministry for Earth and Side With Love are joining with thousands of other faith groups and community organizations around the world for a global, multi-religious action on October 17 and 18.
Friday October 22, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm. Half-Earth Day 2021 is almost here! On October 22, 2021, the E.O. Wilson
Biodiversity Foundation, in partnership with the Eden Project and
presenting sponsor CBRE, will convene Half-Earth Day. The event will be
held virtually with live streams from the U.S. and The Royal
Geographical Society in London. This is our moment for biodiversity. In this year of biodiversity, when
the world is gathering to chart a path forward to protect all life on
Earth from the extinction threat, we gather to raise our voices for the
hopeful solution of Half-Earth. This is our moment to leave no species
behind. Hear from E.O. Wilson, Sir David Attenborough, Sir Tim Smit, Razan Al Mubarak, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Johan Rockström, and many other distinguished speakers in panel discussions, plenary sessions, inspiring films, and talks. Go HERE.
Tuesday October 26, 7 to 8:30pm. Climate Action Now Monthly Gathering. We currently meet on Zoom on the 4th MONDAY evening of each month from 7- 8:30. All are welcome! Look out for zoom registration details before the next meeting in our newsletter or on Facebook. https://climateactionnowma.org/
OK folks, we are out of here but for one thing...........remember to listen to your Mother.
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