It's time for another week of BUSINESS AS USUAL, a co-production of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, sponsored this time by Saudi Aramco, Ford Motor Company, and the US military-industrial complex. 🎶 "Keep driving, keep flying, keep shopping, keep buying! We've got this, everything's fine." 🎶 😃 #Politics #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency #Capitalism #BusinessAsUsual

#SilentSunday

🌅 Good morning, #Mastodon! ☕

If you’re looking for great accounts to follow, here are a few more of my favorites! 👏 @npub1csgs...pfvq @npub12xag...957z @npub1d7jh...u8xc @npub1jj88...5mzk @npub1py89...y6e8 @npub19jse...asce @npub1lfcy...tcpf #FollowFriday

Your approach provides some useful improvements but still leaves us functioning under a neoliberal capitalist system. Fossil fuel companies would remain charge of the economy and in control of the politicians they own. Thus we have continuation of Business As Usual which ultimately leads to disaster. The aim of a massive general strike is fundamental system change.

"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil OBEDIENCE." Source of quote --

"The Problem Is Civil Obedience" | Howard Zinn (November 1970)

#ClimateAction #ClimateJustice #SocialJustice

Wow, this is a fascinating and eye-opening article by Katie Jgln... _____________________ "Patriarchy Isn’t Universal or Natural — So Why Do We Still Believe That? Our understanding of humanity’s past is flawed, to say the very least. Still, some people like to believe we have it all figured out and cling to often simplistic and sometimes borderline incoherent stories that fill in the gaps between what we know to be true. One of them is the story of male dominance. It’s not that surprising that many people still cling to a version of the past that might’ve never even existed. We’ve all been bathing in this androcentric swamp for quite some time now, not only thanks to the inherent bias of the first modern scientists, but many other things that contributed to the spread of patriarchal ideas over the centuries — like the rise of monotheistic, largely androcentric, religions — or all the conquests and colonisation that followed it. Patriarchy has a long history of coming up with stories that cast women as inferior and men as superior, either because there’s no better explanation or simply because perhaps it’s just the convenient thing to do at the given moment. And then it doesn’t seem to matter how many facts are staring us right in the face, we refuse to let these myths go. They’re all we’ve ever known, after all. But insisting that this has always been a man’s world is just intellectually dishonest, to put it politely. So, no — patriarchy really doesn’t seem to be either universal, inevitable, or natural. The longer we hold on to those patriarchal fantasies and refuse to acknowledge human nature isn’t as set in stone as we once believed, the more we miss out on discovering how we could be — individually and collectively — in this world if we only allowed ourselves to. _____________________ That's just a small excerpt from a beautifully written and superbly researched piece. I hope you'll read the whole thing! FULL ARTICLE --

Patriarchy Isn’t Universal or Natural — So Why Do We Still Believe That?

Yet another study proves this really hasn’t always been a man’s world

#History #Science

This is a nice story about a pair of filmmakers taking a carbon-conscious approach in producing a new documentary about a 9-year-old climate activist and her off-the-grid community. STORY --

the Guardian

Eve: the off-grid life of a nine-year-old climate activist

Filmmakers Lucy and Joya discuss their carbon-conscious approach to making their documentary about Eve and her community

VIDEO -- #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateAction

Do you know how empires win? By feeding their people bread and circuses. I’ve been talking recently about a general strike for the climate, as have a few other activists. But if I’m being honest, that’s unlikely to happen anytime soon — because almost everyone has an excuse why they can’t participate. We have all grown accustomed to a *very* pleasant standard of living. Even if you might think it’s hard to get by, try comparing your situation to that of an average person in Nigeria or Pakistan or India or Ethiopia. It’s not even close. Nearly all of us in the Global North have a nice place to live, lots of clothing, regular meals, and plenty of entertainment right at our fingertips. So when that call comes for a general strike — for everyone to stop going to work, stop paying bills, and stop shopping — well, sure, we might say, that sounds like a great idea. We support the cause, but unfortunately we just can’t do it right now. Because… reasons. And that’s the problem. Everyone has reasons. We’ve all grown too comfortable — which is *entirely* by design. The empire knew they had to make us “fat and lazy” (metaphorically speaking), so we wouldn’t be so likely to take a stand against them. In the late 19th century, when union organizers called for strikes, or when anarchists in the U.S. and Europe were urging an end to capitalism, it was easier for them to get cooperation and to find supporters. In the 1930s, when a huge number of people were underemployed and times were tough all over, going on strike or campaigning for socialism didn’t mean as much of a sacrifice as it would for most of us today. Starting in the 1950s, however, leaders and influential thinkers in the Global North realized that the best way to stay in power and enrich themselves would be to provide plenty of cheap “bread” and diverting “circuses” to their citizens. So far, that’s working for them just as planned. #History #Capitalism #BusinessAsUsual #Sports

I enjoyed this short (13-minute) video about the #Solarpunk movement. 😎 #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #Capitalism #Degrowth

Great thread here ⤵️

Mastodon

David Zipper (@davidzipper@mastodon.social)

Attached: 1 image I’ve spent much of this year examining car bloat, the process through which smaller vehicles are being replaced by increasingl...

from David Zipper (@npub1vyml...a8a2) about the horrible arms race in the size of trucks and SUVs.

The USA is now the world's top exporter of liquefied natural gas. 🇺🇸 USA! 🇺🇸 WE’RE NUMBER ONE! 🇺🇸 USA! 🇺🇸 But if you look more closely, that’s not something worth celebrating…

Grist

‘Death stars on sinking land’: How liquefied natural gas took over the Gulf Coast

The U.S. is now the world's top exporter of liquefied natural gas. Towns in southern Louisiana are paying the price.

#Environment #Pollution #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #Capitalism #BusinessAsUsual #CO2 #Emissions

US Senator Bernie Sanders says fossil fuel companies should be prosecuted for their hideously destructive crimes. Obviously I agree with that. But, you know, I've decided against holding my breath until it happens... __________________________ For at least 60 years, scientists have warned fossil fuel executives that their products would cause global warming and widespread climate destabilization. In the ensuing decades, executives had the choice to pivot their businesses into renewable energies that could have saved the planet from climate destruction. Instead, they chose to dismiss their own employees’ climate research and follow in Big Tobacco’s footsteps to engineer a massive disinformation campaign to block climate action which is still thriving today. The consequences of this decision — to put profits far above the planet and people — have proven dire. Now, as temperatures reach over 100°F (38°C) in South America in the middle of winter, Sen. Bernie Sanders is calling for federal officials to finally take the fossil fuel industry’s long-standing lies about the climate crisis seriously and prosecute the industry the same way the Justice Department prosecuted Big Tobacco decades ago. In an op-ed published by MSNBC on Thursday, Sanders called for officials to recognize fossil fuel companies’ “clear violation” of racketeering, advertising, consumer protection and other laws in their campaign to spread climate denial and doom future generations to an unlivable planet. “The fossil fuel companies knew. They knew they were causing global warming and threatening the very existence of the planet,” Sanders wrote. “Yet, in pursuit of profit, fossil fuel executives not only refused to publicly acknowledge what they had learned, but, year after year, lied about that existential threat. And they continue to fund misinformation campaigns today.” The Vermont senator concluded by saying that it is long past time that Big Oil pay for the damage it’s done. “The fossil fuel industry must begin to pay for the extraordinary damage it has caused and continues to cause every day,” Sanders wrote. “Climate change is an existential threat to every person on Earth. At every level, in every country, we must work together to save the planet for our kids and future generations. And those most responsible for this global crisis must finally be held accountable.” __________________________ FULL STORY -- https://truthout.org/articles/sanders-its-time-for-doj-to-treat-fossil-fuel-giants-like-the-liars-they-are/ #Capitalism #BusinessAsUsual #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency #ClimateAction #ClimateJustice

BREAKING NEWS -- Sheet Placed Over Dianne Feinstein Between Votes

The Onion

Sheet Placed Over Dianne Feinstein Between Votes

#TheOnion

Here’s a little something about the preparations — that is, PR and #greenwashing — that they're working on ahead of this year's United Nations climate summit. ___________________________ A comprehensive list of “touchy and sensitive issues” for the United Arab Emirates, which is running the next UN climate summit, has been revealed in a document leaked to the Guardian. The document sets out the government-approved “strategic messages” to be used in response to media requests about the issues, which range from the UAE’s increasing production of oil and gas to people trafficking. The document begins with three pages of “Cop28 UAE key messages” and “narrative points”. These contain no references to fossil fuels, oil or gas but do mention renewable energy and hydrogen. Other sensitive climate-related issues listed are that the president of Cop28, Sultan Al Jaber, is also the chief executive of the UAE national oil company, Adnoc, a dual role that has been heavily criticised. The document also lists Adnoc’s failure to disclose its emissions or publish a sustainability report since 2016. “Adnoc is currently conducting necessary studies,” the document says. Its defence of Al Jaber states: “Dr Sultan’s full circle career [in energy, climate and diplomacy] gives him the expertise needed to constructively engage, disrupt, and unite the very sectors needed to achieve meaningful action.” The only mention of fossil fuels in the lengthy document is in a section titled “UAE as a hydrocarbon economy (fossil fuel lobbying)”. The response listed is that “the UAE is helping to build the energy system of tomorrow while reducing the carbon intensity of oil and gas”. The carbon intensity of oil or gas is the CO2 emitted per unit in producing the fuel and does not include the far greater emissions released when the fuel is burned. The UAE’s emissions per person, among the highest in the world, are also listed as an issue. “We recognise that we have significant room for improvement, which is why our leadership has set us on a path to net zero by 2050,” the document says. ___________________________ FULL STORY --

the Guardian

Leak reveals ‘touchy’ issues for UAE’s presidency of UN climate summit

Exclusive: Long list of ‘sensitive’ topics for petrostate include oil and gas production, emissions and Yemen war crimes

This is a good reminder for us that the IPCC and all the COP meetings, from COP1 to last year’s COP27, were never intended to seriously address the true cause of global warming, which is fossil fuels. Nope. Instead they were set up to manage the scientists, to control the narrative, and to keep our growth-at-any-cost economy going strong. #COP28 #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency #Capitalism #BusinessAsUsual

It's already beginning in Spain. But it won't end there. Formerly fertile and habitable land is being converted to desert by global warming. This is a serious threat not only for southern Europe, but also for much of Asia, Africa, North America, Australia, and other places around the world. ABOUT SPAIN -- https://phys.org/news/2023-08-spain-lifeless-desertification.html MORE ON DESERTIFICATION --

Carbon Brief

Explainer: Desertification and the role of climate change

Desertification has been described as the "the greatest environmental challenge of our time" and climate change is making it worse.

#Spain #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency

You know my opinion. I'm convinced we are in a planetary climate emergency and that we must urgently demand drastic changes. But I'm only a layman. So what do the experts think about all this? Here is part of a statement from a group of climate scientists, including Prof Craig Cary, University of Waikato, Prof Steven Chown, Monash University, distinguished Prof Sharon Robinson, University of Wollongong, Dr Charles Lee, University of Waikato, and assistant Prof Cassandra Brooks, University of Colorado Boulder... _____________________ "Antarctica’s heat waves are a warning to humanity – and we have only a narrow window to save the planet" Antarctica is currently experiencing dramatic changes at unprecedented rates, marked by repeated extreme events. These include circum-Antarctic summer heatwaves and an autumn heatwave last year, with temperatures soaring up to 40C above the average. Moreover, both last summer and this winter, sea ice extent has reached record lows. These changes have happened even faster than scientists predicted. Simultaneous changes in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean, and elsewhere around the globe, reflect the intimate connection between Antarctica and the rest of the Earth system. Our lives and our future depend on a healthy and functioning Antarctica. The scope of the unusual occurrences in Antarctica extends beyond just biological systems. Other records have been shattered, with this year witnessing sea ice levels plummeting to unprecedented lows according to the satellite record. Last year an alarming, widespread heatwave hit large areas of Antarctica, causing, at some locations, a 35-40C temperature rise above long-term averages. Extreme temperature events have been observed in various other parts of the continent, including the Antarctic peninsula. Antarctica is a crucial component of the Earth system and a sentinel for growing change. As Antarctic scientists, we see the evidence of mounting change, including changes in food webs, rapid change in populations, breeding failure and local ecosystem collapse, with projections of rapid transformation of a region that makes our planet liveable and contributes in extraordinary ways to global biodiversity. This is a critical moment, impacting our well-being, future generations and ecosystems globally. Confronted by this evidence, we urgently call on nations to intensify and exceed their current commitments to greenhouse gas emissions reductions. We have a narrow window for change. Events in the Antarctic we have observed and catalogued, and the projections from our research suggest that the window is closing fast. The time for critical action is right now. What we do today will determine our future for centuries. We all deserve a brighter future. Together, we can make a difference. _____________________ FULL ARTICLE --

the Guardian

Antarctica’s heatwaves are a warning to humanity – and we have only a narrow window to save the planet | Climate scientists

Antarctica’s sea ice levels are plummeting as extreme weather events happen faster than scientists predicted

#Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency

Critical climate tipping points are quickly approaching... could we already have passed some of them? No one knows for sure, because nothing like this has ever happened before. There is no true analog for what humans are doing today and have been doing for the past 150 years — pumping hundreds of billions of tons of carbon dioxide into the air, radically altering atmospheric chemistry in the geological blink of an eye — and so it’s impossible for anyone to say with any certainty what will happen. Let's take a look at some of the perilous dangers we face... ___________________________ Climate change effects usually become clear over decades and centuries, but they seem to be everywhere this summer: temperature records broken constantly, ocean waters as warm as hot tubs and world leaders so alarmed they've called this the "the era of global boiling." And as concerning as these developments are, scientists have long worried about even more dramatic, looming and irreversible changes to the planet that could happen quickly. Even in the past year, there's evidence some of these scenarios are becoming more likely. A paper in the journal Science in 2022 looked at several climate "tipping points" – conditions beyond which changes become self-perpetuating and difficult or impossible to undo. While the concept raised the hackles of some scientists, who suggested it was overly simplistic, the paper suggested even the possibility of such no-going-back points provided compelling reasons to limit warming as much as possible. About a year later, several global systems that scientists have been concerned about are showing signs of becoming increasingly fragile. Antarctic sea ice is at a record low, fires in Canada are reshaping terrain and polluting the air and record ocean temperatures are threatening coral. There's even new research published in July that suggests critical Atlantic Ocean currents could collapse sooner than expected, which could trigger rapid weather and climate changes. ___________________________ FULL ARTICLE -- https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Fnation%2F2023%2F08%2F05%2Fclimate-changes-irreversible-impact-earth-ecosystems%2F70492307007%2F Very scary stuff. But as I've said before, numerous times, my intent is not to frighten anyone into paralysis or despair. We need *action* on an individual level and on a global level. Demand system change now! #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis

An excellent and informative piece about the dangerous knock-on effects of sea ice loss around Antarctica... __________________________ As the heat wave tightens its grip on the northern hemisphere, Antarctica broke a different kind of climate record. Antarctic sea ice has shown variability for decades, fluctuating between historical highs and lows. In a normal situation, the ice reaches its lowest point in late February and then recovers during the winter. Since 2016, scientists have witnessed a drastic downward trend that defies all expectations. This year, it is at its lowest level since records began 45 years ago. A disturbing sign that something has changed on our planet. Antarctica is warming faster than many other regions, a phenomenon known as “Polar Amplification.” The temperature increase at high latitudes outpaces the global average, setting off a cascade of consequences. One critical factor is the ice-albedo feedback. The increase in temperature near the surface contributes to ice melting, which contributes to a rise in temperature. Why? Because the albedo — that is, the fraction of solar energy reflected by a surface — of the ocean and the underlying ground is lower than that of ice. The South Pole warmed ‘three times faster’ than the global average over the past 30 years, making it one of the fastest-warming regions on the planet. And as you may imagine, Antarctica’s sea ice is not just a local phenomenon — it plays a significant role in regulating the Earth’s temperature. The reflective properties of sea ice bounce solar energy back into space, helping to cool the planet. As sea ice disappears, darker ocean waters take its place, absorbing more heat and further accelerating global warming. This feedback loop could have far-reaching consequences that extend well beyond Antarctica’s borders. This vicious cycle accelerates the pace of global warming. __________________________ There's much more in the article, and I hope you will read the whole thing. FULL ARTICLE -- https://archive.ph/NL7cn#selection-1845.0-1849.108 #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency

A perfect (and perfectly scary) title from Jessica Wildfire (@npub1ecfk...f3cp) — "If a Cactus Can't Survive This, Neither Can You" ____________________________ You might’ve seen recent headlines about saguaro cacti keeling over in Arizona after spending nearly a month above 110° Fahrenheit (43°C). Not even a week later, The Washington Post ran this absurd story: “Your body can build up tolerance to heat. Here’s how.” I’m not linking to it. That’s how bad it is. It’s not just getting a little hotter. It’s getting so hot that saguaro cacti are deflating in the desert. They evolved roughly 20,000 years ago. They’ve spent millennia adapting to a hot desert environment. They live up to 200 years in the hottest, driest environments on the planet. These cactuses are saying, “I can’t take it anymore,” and sagging over dead. And we’re being told we can adapt. I got curious about what temperature the human body can actually withstand, and it’s somewhere around 108°F (42°C). That’s when your proteins start to denature. A wet bulb temperature beyond 95°F (35°C) can kill a person in about six hours. No amount of heat tolerance can save anyone from that. It strikes me as just a little ridiculous that out here in reality, parts of the world are becoming absolutely uninhabitable, and wellness writers are just now telling us to start building up our heat tolerance. It feels like we’re being prepared and conditioned to start blaming heat deaths on someone’s “low heat tolerance,” as if it’s just another precondition that helps them rationalize indifference in the face of mass death. ____________________________ FULL ARTICLE -- https://jessicawildfire.substack.com/p/if-a-cactus-cant-survive-this-neither #Arizona #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency