#That is DIRECTLY effecting the local climate

[queers4years]

every time it rains instead of snows in the winter I wanna kms ngl

[hms-no-fun]

in your view of things right now, with the political climate so hot coming into the election, and companies doing worse than ever in terms of amassing greed and power and fucking us all over... what do you think has to change to find a way out?

oh boy, what a question. i've got a BA in film studies. i pay my bills by making youtube videos and writing homestuck fanfiction. i am not an authority, i only kind of vaguely know what i'm talking about in any given conversation. but i do think about this question a lot, and i've been wanting an excuse to arrange some of my thoughts on the matter. so, you know, don't take my words here as gospel, or as a coherent platform, or whatever. i'm just a goat with some opinions who hasn't read enough theory but means well.

alright. as a communist my answer is always gonna be "proletarian revolution," but that's an endgoal we're currently nowhere near achieving. the path to getting there is impossible to truly know, because of course revolutions are historically contingent on an organized vanguard being prepared to take control in a moment of national crisis. we don't have a leftist vanguard in this country, haven't done since the FBI and state governments went to war with the Black Panthers. my ideal vision of an effective communist party is one unlike any that currently exists on a large scale in the USA, built by organizing communities to coordinate neighborhood needs, as part of city/county organizations coordinating local needs, as part of state organizations that etc. right now political parties are exclusively focused on electoralism. i want a party that can organize eviction blockades, free community daycare, reading groups, high-capacity cafeterias, and all manner of mutual aid. i want a party that can operate with solidarity, as the Panthers did by supporting the 28 day 504 sit-in that resulted in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. an effective vanguard party interfaces directly with the working class and builds its policy platforms based on their needs with no apology, rather than the acceptable liberal half-measures we've grown so accustomed to.

but it's a loooooooong road to get even that far. and you might say such an organization would be offputting, but like. the Panthers won over a lot of moderates over time because they weren't just out on the streets posturing. they took care of people. we only have free school lunch programs at all because of them. this is the thing that drives me nuts about so many leftists today-- you don't win over a moderate or conservative by debating the merit of their ideas. you help improve the material conditions of their day to day life, thanklessly, as you'd do with everyone in that community, because you cannot adopt means testing by another name without selling off an essential part of yourself. slowly, over time, some of those people will be won over. it'll never be everyone, but it doesn't have to be everyone. it doesn't even have to be a majority. you can get a hell of a lot done with even just 30% of people, especially if those people are even mildly-disciplined members of a well-organized party apparatus.

so, okay, that's my sense of the broad strokes. i want a proletarian revolution by way of a militant vanguard party. not saying this is the ONLY way forward, just the one i think would be most likely to succeed under the right circumstances. but again, we're a million miles away from having a communist vanguard in this country. quite frankly, such a thing feels an impossible pipe dream at this exact historic moment. so the question for me then becomes, how do we create the conditions that would allow for such an organization to emerge, claim power, hold it long enough to build a substantial base, then act on it towards a revolutionary goal?

first you've gotta ask why it's so hard to imagine this fanciful 20th century ass operation today. obvious answers: it's fucking impossible for a third party to gain a foothold in the system as it stands, so let's fix that. ranked choice voting would be a good place to start. i'm no electoralist, but if we're presuming that the revolution isn't happening tomorrow then some element of its foundation must be in making our democracy an actual democracy that can reflect people's needs. repeal citizens united. put HUGE limits on campaign donations and make it harder to conceal donations through super PACs. redistricting is another essential piece of the puzzle-- there is precisely one map of every major usamerican city and it's the map of redlined districts where people of color were not allowed to buy property. look at wealth distribution in communities and it'll map 1 to 1 to historic redlining, guaranteed. we gotta fix gerrymandering, loosen restrictions on poll access (such as the ad hoc poll tax that is government ID requirements), and if we're really feeling frisky push for a mandatory federal voting holiday so that no one has to work on election day (which elections count for "election day" is a whole other quagmire of course). less obvious answers: the cops and the FBI are still imprisoning and murdering black, poc, native, and queer activists in broad daylight. the national prison population is an IMMENSE locus of potential revolutionary energy. some goals on that front: abolish prisons, massively defund the cops, and curtail the surveillance state. restore the convicted felon's right to vote, and otherwise remove the many bureaucratic roadblocks that artificially create the cycle of recidivism. put money into nationwide job training programs (NO PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS) not just for ex convicts but for everyone, for reasons we'll get to momentarily.

i focus on electoral reform at the start here because i think it's an illustrative example of just how sprawling the task before us is. my goal isn't to overwhelm you or make you feel doomed because "holy shit that's already a lot of stuff that feels totally impossible and you haven't even mentioned healthcare yet," but to hammer home that the class war is being fought on a million fronts. you will go completely numb if you expect any one person or organization to address all of these issues simultaneously and as soon as possible. in an ideal world, there are many many affinity groups working towards these ends all over the place, either as part of or in solidarity with our imagined vanguard. i'm trying to look at ways to materially improve the lives of people in our political economy as it currently exists, rather than just saying "we need revolution" and leaving it there.

alright then, so what about capitalism? another major factor in the systematic disenfranchisement of the working class is the role corporate employers play in maintaining the class war. nobody has time to participate in local political actions because everyone has to work crushing hours, and when they do have days to themselves they still have to personally drive to wherever things are happening and find parking, instead of grocery shopping, taking care of kids, just fucking relaxing, whatever. obvious answers: medicare for all. right now, healthcare access is tied to employment status unless you are COMICALLY poor (i just got kicked off of medicaid a couple months ago because i now make marginally more than the cutoff, which now means i'm paying $200+ more a month on healthcare and am now way more worried about money than when i was on welfare. what a great and functional system!). if you're afraid of losing your health insurance for any reason, then you are disincentivized from expressing any opinions you might have about the conduct of your employer by, say, quitting. just passing universal healthcare alone would cause some major turmoil in the US economy. invest in mass public transit with rigorous local neighborhood access, and now a hell of a lot more people are empowered to participate in civic duty. less obvious answers: get rid of at-will employment! make it much much harder for employers to fire people, and regulate the ability of corporations to do mass layoffs. this would go a long way towards throwing some wrenches into the methods corps use to invent economic prosperity through the creative application of spreadsheets. on top of that, let's nuke the absolute fuck out of means-testing for programs like food stamps, medicaid, social housing, or literally any other form of "charity" that made Reagan shit his pants.

speaking of means testing, let's talk about bullshit jobs. there are a TON of pointless, degrading, wasteful jobs in this country. corps playing middlemen to middlemen. endless state and business bureaucracy using hundreds of systems that rarely if ever communicate with one another, putting a huge administrative burden on working people while the rich beneficiaries of this exploitation get to launder their guilt through the public-facing punching bags of customer service representatives. too many people work at the office factory. there are a lot of industries that need to be massively curtailed if not outright destroyed, a fact that intersects with the threat of climate change when you include coal and oil jobs. it's not enough to get rid of these positions, you also have to have a plan for those displaced workers-- hence the job training program i mentioned before. if we actually want to see a transition into a more egalitarian society that doesn't run exclusively on fossil fuels, then there needs to be a pipeline that gives purpose to the people whose lives will inevitably be radically altered by the kinds of changes we're talking about. there's an important thing, actually-- we all need to be prepared for this line of questioning and have a good answer in the back pocket. there is no shift from pure capitalism to even lite democratic socialism that won't hurt some cohort of people that doesn't deserve it. unless you want them to fall in with the fascists, you're gonna want to have a plan for how to integrate them into the world you're trying to build.

here's a wildcard for you. a lot of folks are on that "break up the monopolies" grind these days, and i appreciate the sentiment. i also think we would be vastly better served in the long run by simply nationalizing the monopolies. obviously there are plenty of worthwhile concerns to be had about any usamerican government gaining that kind of control over anything at this precise moment, but we cannot let that impede the horizons of our imaginary. i don't want market reform, i want the abolition of markets. the internet should be a public utility and ISPs should be government institutions. tech needs UNENDING regulation as we are all aware. social media should be public and interoperable. there needs to be a rolling back of internet surveillance. i've been toying with the idea of a Federal Department of Digital Moderation as an intervention on the current fascist radicalization pipeline that is social media, but that raises so many other concerns that i don't have an answer for. mostly i just think that the profit motive needs to be excised from as many sectors of public life as possible, and nationalization is a pretty good way to get there.

affordable housing! lower rents means fewer hours at work to make ends meet means more time to spend with family & community means more chances for more people to participate in civic action. abolish student debt and make college free! and make it illegal for colleges to invest in shit like fucking israel! a more accessible system of higher education means a more educated proletariat. this wouldn't by any stretch automatically lead to a more leftist proletariat, but conservatives have worked very hard to curtail access to higher education and that alone is more than enough reason to push for it. i've really buried the lede here, honestly. to my mind, medicare for all, mass public transit, free education, and national rent control are THE milestones we ought to be aiming for in terms of domestic policy. it is simply impossible to estimate how seismically and immediately these four policies (if applied equitably and without means-testing) could transform civic life in the USA. any systemic social ill you can name has some connection to one of these four ideas. i personally hold prison abolition & police defunding as equally essential, but these are unfortunately a MUCH harder sell for a lot of folks and will require some solidaristic frog-boiling from the likeable progressives/socialists of the world to naturalize the idea. but then, on that front i'm speaking very much outside my lane, and would defer to the wisdom of actual abolition activists in a scenario where we were talking concrete policy.

then there's foreign policy. this post has gone on a long time and i'm not the person to talk about this at length, but: the united states military needs to be defunded, and its outposts across the world removed. to curtail global climate change, the american imperial project must end. our meddling in foreign affairs is directly responsible for the domination of capital, and so long as this and other western states exist as they do, no communist outpost is safe. then there comes the question of reparations. all those billionaires didn't invent their money, they stole it. in quite a lot of cases they stole it from US citizens, but they've stolen far more from the rest of the world. tax the rich at 99% and distribute billions no-strings-attached to african and pacific island nations? other countries deserve a right to self determination without the threat of foreign interference. our nation's wealth doesn't just need to be taxed and redistributed to working class usamericans (particularly black communities), it ought to be redistributed internationally to all the countries we've fucked with over the last century and a half. but that's a pretty late stage pipe dream.

i guess the last thing that i've been thinking a lot about is more esoteric, and certainly difficult to implement. i believe we need to seriously interrogate "progress" as a concept. right now our society is defined by technological advancements as encouraged by a capitalist economy. if you fuck around with old analog tech at all, you've probably said to yourself more than once "they really don't make em like this anymore." i think about that fucking Hot Ones interview with matt damon about how streaming has stabbed the established profit model in the heart, where he says something like "we had a pretty good thing going before they showed up." i think about small museums closing down in the pandemic because they couldn't turn a profit, small local shops closing down for the same reason. constant newness paired with engineered obsolescence. disruption of the equilibrium in order to steal profit. it's easy to argue that socialized healthcare is good because it's actually more cost efficient than private healthcare. but those are the terms set by capitalists. i believe that healthcare and profit-seeking should be mutually exclusive. i believe that some things are a public good, however small --museums, quirky shops, parks, art spaces, open lots, movies, music, theater, whatever-- and that these things should be protected from the market at all costs. the alternative is corporate consolidation of everything, as every piece of local color cannot compete with economies of scale and asphyxiates to death. i refuse to accept the idea that "progress" means throwing away anyone who specialized in the thing being progressed beyond. i refuse to accept the idea that "progress" is linear and exists beyond the purview of morals, values, and ideology, nor indeed that it is inevitable and in any event an unalloyed good.

i believe that it doesn't matter if making higher-quality clothes at greater cost in unionized factories is "less efficient" than fast fashion. all "efficiency" means is spread everything as thin as possible, just enough just on time regardless of context. it's a mask for robber baron bullshit. it's an attempt by the bourgeoisie to naturalize the laws of economics as if they were on the same level as the laws of gravity, and we just can't accept that anymore. there's that meme, "i want shorter games with worse graphics made by people who are paid more to work less and i’m not kidding." i think we ought to apply that sentiment far more broadly. if we truly believe in the dignity of a self-determined life, then we must agree that some things are above profit, above efficiency, and are worth doing right. i haven't quite nailed down yet how exactly to verbalize this idea in a way that can be easily & quickly understood. but i feel it intensely, and only moreso as time goes on. as we push for these seemingly-impossible policy changes, it's of equal importance that we not lose ourselves to the limitations of the system as it exists under capitalism. to transform the world we must transform ourselves. to save the world we must save ourselves. if we hold a value to be true, then it must be constant and uncompromising. we must agree that our lives are better off when certain things exist even if they aren't efficient or fail to turn a profit, and thus decimate whatever part of us has been raised to believe that efficiency and profit ought ever to enter the equation. of course, in any revolution costs quickly become a huge going concern. there will always be painful compromises in policy along the path, always disappointments and mistakes. no revolution can be perfect. but through all these material challenges, the world that must be needs a place at the table with us. impractical, impossible, unfeasible... necessary.

you will probably not live to see that world, anon, and neither will i. we are all in the long game now, and it can never stop with one good policy, one good politician, one needed win. it's everything or it's nothing. socialism or barbarism. it is this belief which guides me, that no one ought to suffer the indignities i've suffered in my years working for shit wages, struggling to find housing, watching family die from economic abandonment. that there is simply no reason for society to be the way that it is, and that "the world isn't fair" is no excuse when we are the engineers of that "world" in every way that matters.

anyway, those are some of my thoughts on the subject. i hope i haven't made a complete fool of myself here.

[courtana]

We, Black Curatorial, Kwanda, Twossaints, Black Eats London & West India Cinema Corporation have come together to fundraise for people affected by Hurricane Beryl across the West Indies. As West Indian people it is imperative that we support each other and ourselves in the building back of our communities, this is a duty. Hurricane Beryl has devastated hundreds of communities in the West Indies. This is not a freak storm, this is a direct impact of climate crisis in the region - fuelled and sustained by overconsumption and emissions in the Global North. The ocean waters are 4 degrees warmer than expected at this time of year, this has directly affected the speed and ferocity of the hurricane at the beginning of this year's hurricane season. To understand what the importance of AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation) is for Hurricane season in the Caribbean and globally please watch this video. The impact of this hurricane is very much being felt, "90% of homes on Union Island had been destroyed", according to Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves. We’re fundraising for people and charities across Barbados, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Grenada and those affected across the region. The money raised will go towards helping local fishermen in Barbados to buy new boats, support roofing and housing materials for people in Carriacou, Union and Grenada and well as St Vincent to rebuild their livelihoods and homes. We are working collectively to disseminate these funds across the region ensuring they reach grassroots communities and people directly. The Hurricane is now a category 5 and on its way to Jamaica. We urge everyone to pray for its weakening and for the people currently effected by Beryl's peril. Please continue to share and donate to those affected! If you have any questions please email us.

WHERE ARE THE DONATIONS GOING?

This fund exists to go directly to grassroots organisations providing support for those across the following countries: Barbados St Vincent & the Grenadines Carriacou Petite Martinique Union Grenada Jamaica

HOW WILL THEY BE PROCESSED AND ADMINISTERED?

We are working with Kwanda to help disseminate the funds to the existing groups they work with in the affected countries. Black Curatorial work across Barbados and Jamaica administering funds for creatives via the Fly Me Out Fund our process of sending money via transfer is already set up to support and facilitate this fund's dissemination.

WHO'S INVOLVED?

Black Curatorial Kwanda West India Cinema Corporation Twossaints Black Eats London

[thelawsofdaylight]

I'm sorry if this isn't approriate, but I don't really understand why you find Les Mis a good target for a climate protest? I get that the musical has themes that align with the protesters but like... what was the good outcome? Are there really People in that audience that don't know climate change is happening? How Will this change their mind? What action is meant to be brought on by trowing soup at paintings or disrupting a performance? Does that actually help the cause of combatting climate change at all? Does it help make people more aware, does it have an effect on the mechanisms of polluters? Isn't there anything more focused that these resources (both money and the incredible bravery and drive of the People themselves) could be better focused on. These protest feels so different from like, people chaining themselves to a private jet or the schoolchildren going up to parliaments by the thousand to demand policy chances to better their future. All of the JSO actions feels so performative, I just don't see how they are actually doing anything of even the mechanism by which they are meant to accomplish anything? Which doesn't mean that the people involved aren't great people or that the reaction of the Les Mis crowd wasn't fucked up. Just... what was even the goal?

Hey! I know it's been a while since I made that post supporting the JSO protestors but I've gotten a few asks like this in the time since (and am still getting them) so I'm responding to this as the most good-faith one in my inbox and hopefully it answers others that have been asked to me in the past couple weeks as well. Disclaimer: If I'm responding to things outside the remit of this ask, it's likely that it's because someone else sent an ask about it and I've been juggling them all in my head as I've been thinking on a response.

I think in order to answer the first part of the ask we have to tackle the second. 'What has this action achieved' only works as a comprehensive criticism if we look at it in isolation to all of JSO's other actions. What I mean by this is: JSO launched by blocking oil refineries for days on end. In the two years they've been active they've done similar actions, including but not limited to disrupting fuel distribution centres, petrol stations, interrupting fossil fuel conferences, and, most recently, trying to stop the relocation of asylum seekers to prison barges. Their actions go far beyond blocking roads and disruption of public events. I think this is important to establish as I don't know how much of a working knowledge anyone not in the UK Climate movement actually has about JSO and I think it's good we're all on the same page.

But if they do all that (effective, important) direct action, then why target Les Mis? What does a West End show have to do with fossil fuel companies and climate change? And in response to these questions I'll ask one of my own: were you aware of the fact that JSO tried to stop migrants from being deported until I mentioned it just now? A lot of these actions, the ones that actually target infrastructure and confront those directly responsible, get little to no media coverage. When news of the Les Mis action first broke out, I saw so many people on Twitter with the same reactionary takes: why target Les Mis when the Conservative Party Conference literally happened the same weekend? And that's a fair and valid point- if it wasn't for the fact that JSO were at the conference. I know this because I was there too. They had a huge bloc in the march and went on to do other actions in the city after the march had ended. The whole thing, the entire 10,000+ strong protest, got maybe 30 seconds coverage on the local news and not even a mention of JSO's presence (or of climate change in general for that matter.) JSO's previous actions directed at fossil fuel companied themselves get very little, if any, coverage compared to their big flashy sports/awards show/performance interruptions.

So yeah, some of JSOs actions are 'performative'. But I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that even performative actions have their place within the wider struggle. I understand not liking public disruption as a tactic and I understand the issues with it, but I also think it's worth reflecting on why groups like JSO use it.

Editing my draft here to report that earlier today they smashed the frame of a painting that was previously vandalised by the Suffragette movement in 1914. That's a performative action, sure, but you have to admit it makes a point. Just like the tageting of Les Mis, a play about an unjust society and the people striving to change it, makes a point about hypocrisy. It gets the media coverage. We can debate all day about the usefulness of that coverage and if chasing media headlines should be our goal in the first place... but at the end of the day, it's been proven that JSOs membership grows every time they do something like this. It gets more people to join, which means next time it comes round to blocking key infrastructure, they'll be in a stronger position to succeed.

This isn't to say don't criticise them at all! I actually think criticisms like this one are a key part of organising and, done with care, can only make our movements stronger. I have my own issues with JSO- namely, the carelessness with which arrest is actively encouraged/promoted as the only valid form of resistance- but that's a whole other conversation and one that doesn't undermine my support and solidarity for the activists who are doing those actions (and sacrificing a whole lot in the process.) I think mass direct action movements are rarely ever perfect but I also think we need to show solidarity first and foremost when people are trying to do the right thing, especially if how they're doing it is in conjunction with or as a response to other tactics.

[usafphantom2]

USAF crew faulted for Ellsworth B-1B crash

Ryan Finnerty26 July 2024

US Air Force investigators blame crew error for a January crash that saw the destruction of a Boeing B-1B Lancer strategic bomber.

The January 2024 incident occurred during a training flight from the aircraft’s (85-0085) home station of Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota. While attempting to make a night landing during poor weather conditions, the aircraft undershot the runway forcing a rare quadruple ejection of the B-1B’s crew.

B-1B crash

All four aviators survived, but the $450 million dollar jet bomber was deemed a total loss after skidding across the airfield and catching fire.

The lead investigator in the accident probe now says many of the factors that led to the catastrophic mishap are likely to be repeated.

In a report Colonel Erick Lord said the inquiry found that “many failures leading to this mishap were not a one-time occurrence or an aberration”.

The crew’s failure to conduct a composite crosscheck during the approach was seen as the primary cause of the accident.

“The mission crew did not follow the low-visibility approach to land communication and flying responsibilities,” the report states.

The mishap pilot apparently failed to brief the remaining crew on the expected vertical velocity during the approach, which prevented weapon systems officers from performing an adequate crosscheck. The pilot also descended below 200ft above ground level without approval from the onboard instructor pilot.

“The mishap pilot did not effectively crosscheck the airspeed, descent rate, and projected aircraft flight path leading up to the mishap,” investigators conclude.

“By failing to crosscheck using his instruments effectively, the mishap pilot did not recognise the [aircraft’s] deviations from the desired airspeed, descent rate and aircraft flight path.”

Deteriorating weather conditions during the winter training flight had forced the B-1B crew to cut the sortie short and attempt an instrument landing on a different runway than originally planned. The landing occurred during night hours with visibility even further reduced by dense fog in the local area, which investigators say exacerbated the Lancer crew’s deviation from established policy.

A ground-based flight supervisor also improperly directed the B-1B pilot to land on a runway that lacked adequate weather observation – violating a Notice to Airmen alert issued over the impaired visibility.

Investigators describe “undisciplined procedures” employed by the ground-based flight supervisors, including insufficient shift changeover and individual failure to review applicable airfield hazards, that resulted in the mishap B-1B making a dangerous and unauthorised approach.

As a result, the aircraft rapidly descended below its authorised altitude and impacted the ground before its intended landing zone.

While Lord notes that bad weather “substantially contributed” to the crash, he says a “culture of noncompliance and widespread deviation from established policy” amongst bomber crews within the B-1B squadron created the potential for such an incident.

“I find by a preponderance of the evidence that these leadership and climate issues directly contributed to the mishap,” he says in the investigation report.

He notes a failure by squadron leadership to conduct adequate supervision of flight operations and a lack of effective communication regarding airfield and weather conditions as examples of the poor safety culture at the 34th Bomb Squadron.

The investigation board also found an “unsatisfactory level of basic airmanship” within the Lancer squadron’s flight crews.

As further evidence of this, investigators note that the lead instructor pilot onboard the mishap aircraft apparently exceeded the maximum approved weight for the B-1B’s Collins Aerospace ACES II ejection seat, which is rated for 111kg (245lb) according to the USAF.

That individual apparently suffered more severe injuries during the ejection than the rest of the crew, according to the investigation report.

The B-1B ejection system is typically set so that an ejection initiated by one crew member triggers a rapidly sequenced firing of the remaining seats. This procedure is meant to prevent a collision between crew members.

Ryan FinnertyRyan Finnerty is the Americas defence reporter for FlightGlobal.com and Flight International magazine, covering military aviation and the defence industry. He is a former United States Army officer and previously reported for America’s National Public Radio system in New York and Hawaii covering energy, economics and military affairs.View full Profile

@violetpilot1 via X

[rjzimmerman]

Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to California Tailpipe Emissions Limits. (New York Times)

My guess: The five neanderthals on the US Supreme Court (chief justice roberts and justices kavanaugh, alito, thomas and gorsuch), perhaps to be joined by barrett) will rule in favor or trump and the continued degradation of Earth. Why? Because trump wants them to do that, and because they have pea-sized brains and no sense of the law, other than what their pea-sized brains think the law is.

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

The Supreme Court agreed on Friday to consider whether business groups may challenge an unusual federal program that lets California set its own limits on tailpipe emissions to combat climate change.

The groups, including fuel producers and sellers, told the justices that the court’s intervention was needed to prevent California from effectively setting national policy. “Without this court’s immediate review,” their petition seeking review said, “California’s unlawful standards will continue to dictate the composition of the nation’s automobile market.”

The challengers asked the court to decide two questions: whether they had suffered the sort of injuries that gave them standing to sue and whether the Environmental Protection Agency program granting California a waiver to set its own standards for greenhouse gas emissions was lawful.

The court agreed to decide only the first question, on standing, and did not act on a separate petition from 17 states asking the court to rule on whether Congress had violated the Constitution in empowering the E.P.A. to give California a special status.

The law authorizes the E.P.A. to grant California a waiver from nationwide standards even though other states and localities are not free to set their own limits. In their petition, the challengers said the law improperly deputizes California to act as a “junior-varsity E.P.A.”

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, in an unsigned opinion in April, rejected the lawsuit, ruling that the challengers lacked standing. The appeals court reasoned that fuel producers would not be directly harmed by the waiver, which directly affects vehicle manufacturers.

The California waiver, created under the 1970 Clean Air Act, has for decades served as a tool to allow the state, which has historically had the most polluted air in the nation, to enact tougher state-level clean air standards than those set by the federal government.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Friendly Fire

Where a proposal for our climate diplomacy is suggested

The smoky sky over São Paulo in recent weeks has intensified residents' concern about the fires in the Amazon. Among the challenges in addressing this issue is one related to the actions of environmental groups from developed nations, which is less known to the public. To understand this, some preliminary considerations are needed.

The fires are a direct and indirect consequence of deforestation in the Amazon. Directly, because land grabbers who illegally occupy public lands in the region resort to burning after deforestation to "clear" the area for livestock. Indirectly, because Amazon deforestation has reduced the flow of the "flying rivers": the vapor carried by winds from the region to the Midwest and Southeast, which significantly contributes to rainfall in those areas. Drought creates conditions favorable for the rapid spread of fire hotspots, severely hindering fire control, regardless of whether the fire is accidental or criminal.

An aerial image of a burned area shows smoke rising from various parts. The ground is light brown, and in the background, there is dense green vegetation, indicating the presence of forest. Smoke spreads through the air, creating a polluted atmosphere.

Amazon deforestation triggers a series of events culminating in the dramatic transformation of flying rivers into ducts of smoke and soot that have covered much of the Southeast and even the South of the country. Reducing deforestation, responsible for 46% of greenhouse gas emissions in Brazil, is the main priority of our climate agenda.

For measures to combat deforestation to have lasting effects, they cannot be limited to the enforcement of environmental laws through command-and-control operations. It will be necessary, above all, to ensure that maintaining the forest standing provides better living conditions for the local population than those offered by its destruction, such as illegal mining, land grabbing, and agriculture on illegally deforested lands.

Continue reading.

[bokchoybabybitch]

happy earth day you beautiful humans!

on this sunniest and warmest of the april 22nds, thank you climate change, id like to rant a lil bit about how important local action is for environmental change

first of all, climate doomerism is scientifically inaccurate. things are bad, and they will get worse, that’s absolutely proven and true. but the social trend of believing that the world is already doomed and nothing can be done to save it is demonstrably false.

in fact, that’s been traced to a propaganda media campaign that’s being funded directly by some of the biggest and most powerful non renewable energy corporations in the world! their thinking is likely that if everyone believes the world can’t be saved, then there’s no point in forcing the corporations to change their ways for the better, and they can keep making record profits at the expense of the natural world.

so no matter what anyone tells you, the world can be saved, and humans can save it!

and be extra wary of anyone who says something to the effect of “we need to get overpopulation under control” or “humans are an invasive species”

chances are, if they’re saying the problem is overpopulation and not wasteful consumption, then their “solution” will probably involve removing Indigenous people from their land!

and the idea that humans are an invasive species ignores the tens of thousands of years that human society has existed in harmony with nature all over the world!

all this to say, one individual person isn’t likely going to change the world on their own. and usually when one person has an impact that large, it’s at least 50/50 positive/negative, if not more negative.

but what one individual can do is change their community, their town, wherever they’re from. if you take good care of a garden just for the sake of doing some good, it might not matter to every other garden in the world, but those plants you grew will be healthy and alive, and that matters a whole lot to them

and if everyone does their little part for their little garden, or forest, or park, or any little bit of good you can bring out, then the whole world changes for the better!

be informed, be brave, and go touch some grass today ❤️

also enjoy these cake pops my mother made :)

[gracecpy]

How might activists use social media in the future?

Hello everyone! In today’s blog topic, I will be talking about the use of social media by activists in the future. Let’s get into it!

Social media activism is a contemporary approach to rallying public opinion and driving change. It utilizes platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to raise awareness, gather support, and, in some cases, influence policymakers.

Unlike traditional activism, it enables instant communication and a broader reach, overcoming geographical barriers. Social media has revolutionized activism by transforming online content into impactful tools for advocacy and empowering movements in unprecedented ways (Devin Partida, 2024).

Activism Evolution

Activism has long been a catalyst for societal change. In the past, it relied on physical gatherings, printed materials, and word-of-mouth to unite people and spread messages. Movements such as the Civil Rights Movement and anti-war protests were rooted in traditional forms of activism, including rallies, sit-ins, and marches, where direct community involvement and physical presence were key elements.

The shift to the digital era brought a significant transformation. With the rise of the internet and social media platforms, the ways people connect and share information were revolutionized. This digital advancement has made social media a powerful tool for activism.

It allowed activists to connect with larger audiences, quickly organize events, and disseminate information in real time. Social media eliminated geographical barriers, enabling global issues to gain local attention and local movements to resonate on a global scale (Devin Partida, 2024).

Influencers and Leaders In Social Media Activism 🗣️

Image credit: Global Heroes

Influencers, leaders, and individuals play a crucial role in shaping movements on social media. The digital landscape has given rise to a new generation of activists who can influence public opinion and mobilize large groups through their online presence. These figures leverage their platforms to drive awareness, engage supporters, and push for change, making them key players in modern activism.

One of the most influential figures in recent years is Greta Thunberg, whose solo climate protest sparked a worldwide movement, largely propelled by social media. Her clear and powerful messages on platforms like Twitter and Instagram have inspired millions, especially young people, to take part in climate activism. Thunberg's online presence has been crucial in mobilizing support and raising awareness about climate change globally.

Another notable figure is Malala Yousafzai, who actively uses social media to advocate for girls' education around the world. Her inspiring personal story and unwavering commitment to the cause, shared across platforms, have rallied a global audience and highlighted the issue of educational inequality.

These activists effectively leverage social media by crafting clear, impactful messages that resonate with their audiences. They often interact directly with their followers, fostering a sense of community and collective purpose. This strategy not only spreads awareness but also motivates people to take action, turning them from passive supporters into active advocates.

The success of these tactics is evident in the way they influence public opinion and spur action. Social media-driven movements led by figures like Thunberg and Yousafzai have sparked real-world protests, policy debates, and, in some instances, changes in legislation.

Tools For Social Media Activism 🔧

Social media platforms have become crucial tools for activism due to their wide reach, user-friendly nature, and ability to connect individuals with shared interests (Tenley Jackson, 2023). These platforms create an environment where voices that are often sidelined by mainstream media can be heard and amplified, allowing marginalized groups to advocate for their causes effectively.

Hashtags: Hashtags like #StopAsianHate and #NeverAgain allow activists to unify their messages and create visibility around specific causes. These tags create searchable movements and increase engagement by making it easier for individuals to find and contribute to ongoing conversations.

Viral content: Whether it’s videos, images, or tweets—plays a vital role in raising awareness and engaging the public. When a post goes viral, it can reach far beyond the creator's immediate followers, expanding its impact. This broad sharing boosts visibility, bringing the issue to the forefront of public attention. Content that is emotionally charged or shocking often elicits stronger reactions, motivating viewers to take action. Such viral moments can drive significant social and political change by reaching a wide audience quickly and compelling people to get involved.

Online Communities: Social media platforms help build online communities where activists can exchange resources, strategies, and support. These communities can range from large, public groups to smaller, more private networks. They serve as central hubs for organizing events, spreading information, and offering emotional or logistical support to members. Through these networks, movements can maintain momentum, adjust to new challenges, and stay connected in real time. This collaborative environment allows activism to be more dynamic and adaptable, ensuring that campaigns stay relevant and effective as circumstances change.

More Than Just Social Media 👤

Activism existed long before social media, and it will continue even if these platforms were to disappear. While showing support, like updating your profile picture, is a helpful gesture, there is likely more you can do to contribute (Shelby Brown, 2022). What that looks like will vary based on individual factors such as your schedule, financial resources, mental health, and personal understanding of social issues. Everyone’s involvement may take different forms, but each action can contribute meaningfully to a cause.

The Future 🌏

Social media activism has a profound effect on political decisions and policies by shaping public opinion, enabling direct advocacy, and mobilizing support. The way activists engage with political figures on these platforms has evolved, offering direct communication, increasing scrutiny and accountability, and influencing political discourse (Devin Partida, 2024).

As more people adopt new technologies, it's important to reflect on how the ongoing evolution of these tools will reshape the nature and impact of social media activism in the future. Will it continue to drive significant change, or will its influence diminish as the digital landscape transforms? This question challenges us to consider the lasting power of online activism as technology advances.

References

Devin Partida. (2024, January 4). How Social Media Activism Shapes Movements

https://rehack.com/culture/social-media-activism/

Tenley Jackson. (2023, November 17). Point: social media is necessary for modern activism

https://thedailytexan.com/2023/11/17/point-social-media-is-necessary-for-modern-activism/

Shelby Brown. (2022, April 5). How Activists Use Social Media for Good -- and You Can Too

https://www.cnet.com/news/social-media/features/how-activists-use-social-media-for-good-and-you-can-too/

[venusesresources]

project 2025 || the presidental transition project

and what you need to know

in this post i will be explaining the main talking points of 2025 taken directly from their website and expanding upon them and explaining how they could effect you. this post is simply for information and there will be other posts that are specifically for providing resources that can combat this to the best of our ability. i do not support any of these things, all quotes are taken direcly from the project 2025 website/pdf file.

please note: trump has stated that he has not endorsed project 2025 in any way however, many of the people that have made this document work with him and endorse him. do with that information what you will.

things project 2025 state they will do

Secure the border, finish building the wall, and deport illegal aliens " To truly secure the homeland, a conservative Administration needs to return the department to the right mission, the right size, and the right budget. This would include reorganizing the department and shifting significant resources away from several supporting components to the essential operational components. Prioritizing border security and immigration enforcement, including detention and deportation, is critical if we are to regain control of the border, repair the historic damage done by the Biden Administration, return to a lawful and orderly immigration system, and protect the homeland from terrorism and public safety threats. This also includes consolidating the pieces of the fragmented immigration system into one agency to fulfill the mission more e ciently." (page 135, chapter 5) 💙 project 2025 plans to expand upon their homeland security efforts which for them means making it more difficult for immigrants to live and stay in the united states. if you are an immigrant, regardless of where you are from or if you have documentaztion expect to be questioned and subjected to an even higher amount of xenophobia. if you have family memebers, friends or you yourself are in the united states without proper documentation expect to be harrassed and dealing with unjust treatment. good luck if you have a noticeable accent.

De-weaponize the Federal Government by increasing accountability and oversight of the FBI and DOJ " Ordered liberty is at risk when our citizens lack physical safety, when career criminals do not fear the law, when foreign cartels move narcotics and illegal aliens into our nation at will, and when political leaders call citizens “domestic terrorists” for exercising their constitutional rights. The Department of Justice—in partnership with state and local partners—must recommit in both word and deed to protecting public safety. " ( page 548 chaper 17 ) this is a dog whistle. the tightening up of the government is purely to harm citizens that they do not agree with including immigrants. if you are an immigrant (as stated in the last policy) please take a fighting class or something. also i implore you to read the entireity of chapter seventeen and see how they plan on further harming citizens through FBI and DOJ.

Unleash American energy production to reduce energy prices "The new energy crisis is caused not by a lack of resources, but by extreme “green” policies. Under the rubrics of “combating climate change” and “ESG” (environmental, social, and governance), the Biden Administration, Congress, and various states, as well as Wall Street investors, international corporations, and progressive special-interest groups, are changing America’s energy landscape." (page 363 chapter 12) 💙 this is why we should always read the fine print. while the conservative government claims they want to help americans by reducing the cost of energy this will come at the cost of our planet that is already dying. energy will now be left into the hands of companies that pollute our states and make low income areas unlivble. if you are living in a state that has frequent natural disasters expect more natural disasters, expect more extreme differences in weather such as very cold winters and very hot summers. this change will happen gradually, but do not expect our climate to be the same by 2029.

Cut the growth of government spending to reduce inflation " DOT would also reduce unnecessary burdens by returning to the Trump Administration’s “rule on rules” approach to regulations, implemented in late 2019 as RIN 2105-AE84.4 This rule strengthened the Administration’s e ort to remove outdated regulations, find cost-saving reforms, and clarify that guidance documents are in fact guidance rather than mandatory impositions. The Biden Administration unwisely moved away from this reform, and the next Administration should revive it without delay. " ( page 622 chapter 19 ) 💙 it was difficult to pick a quote that showed how project 2025 intends to not only hurt our (the peasants) wallets but also reduce the cost for the government by allowing privately owned companies to run transportation. these outdated rules and regulations have kept us safe for years so expect boeing levels of safety in your bus route.

Make federal bureaucrats more accountable to the democratically elected President and Congress " Fortunately, a President who is willing to lead will find in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) the levers necessary to reverse this trend and impose a sound direction for the nation on the federal bureaucracy. The e ectiveness of those EOP levers depends on the fundamental premise that it is the President’s agenda that should matter to the departments and agencies that operate under his constitutional authority and that, as a general matter, it is the President’s chosen advisers who have the best sense of the President’s aims and intentions, both with respect to the policies he intends to enact and with respect to the interests that must be secured to govern successfully on behalf of the American people. " ( page 44 chapter 2 ) 💙 so this is clearly stating that the president is only going to elect people that are going to help him achieve his goals and help him with his needs. goodbye checks and balances, expect to see a lot more crazy policies that will effect everyone negatively because it is made more difficult to oppose him.

Improve education by moving control and funding of education from DC bureaucrats directly to parents and state and local governments " Rather than continuing to buttress a higher education establishment captured by woke “diversicrats” and a de facto monopoly enforced by the federal accreditation cartel, federal postsecondary education policy should prepare students for jobs in the dynamic economy, nurture institutional diversity, and expose schools to greater market forces. " (page 320 chapter 11) 💙 this is essentially calling for the complete resructure of an already crappy college system in america. on the grand scale of things, i am not sure what this will mean for current college students, but i do know that you can kiss your FASFA goodbye and your funding. this is essentially ensuring that only the most wealthy elite white poeple are getting a proper education, especially when we consider that they are planning on taking away accreditaion policies, your degree may not be credible if they feel it unnecessary.

Ban biological males from competing in women' s sports 💙 this is stupid, no biological men are currently competing in adults womens sports and if you believe that you cannot be helped.

(DIS)HONOURABLE MENTION - things i found while going through that stupid ass document. " From the moment of conception, every human being possesses inherent dignity and worth, and our humanity does not depend on our age, stage of development, race, or abilities. The Secretary must ensure that all HHS programs and activities are rooted in a deep respect for innocent human life from day one until natural death: Abortion and euthanasia are not health care. " (page 450 chapter 14) " Radical actors inside and outside government are promoting harmful identity politics that replaces biological sex with subjective notions of “gender identity” and bases a person’s worth on his or her race, sex, or other identities. This destructive dogma, under the guise of “equity,” threatens American’s fundamental liberties as well as the health and well-being of children and adults alike. The next Secretary must ensure that HHS programs protect children’s minds and bodies and that HHS programs respect parents’ basic right to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children. " (page 450 chapter 14)

" Families comprised of a married mother, father, and their children are the foundation of a well-ordered nation and healthy society. Unfortunately, family policies and programs under President Biden’s HHS are fraught with agenda items focusing on “LGBTQ+ equity,” subsidizing single-motherhood, disincentivizing work, and penalizing marriage. These policies should be repealed and replaced by policies that support the formation of stable, married, nuclear families. " (page 451 chapter 14)

[darkeagleruins]

Here we have NOAA giving almost half a million dollars directly to a left wing activist group.

But we simply can’t afford deportations.

NOAA grant (2022)

Amount: $440,276

Recipient: We Stay-Nos Quedamos Inc

Purpose: We stay/Nos Quedamos, inc. is a leader in community-driven sustainable development for Melrose residents in the south Bronx (NY), with a 30-year history of organizing and supporting the preservation of open space, environmental health, and social justice. This project will uplift the energy and wisdom of local youth leaders and organizers to educate and engage their peers, family members, and neighbors around climate impacts and environmental justice, to prepare for the effective activation of three climate resiliency hubs currently in development. An environmental literacy team will conduct data collection and analysis; lead workshops, trainings, and community events; and hold a symposium with community partners, city and state agencies, and elected officials to lay the groundwork for resilience planning and policy awareness.

[hero-israel]

You've talked before about environmentalists who say "Palestine is a climate issue" and how that holds Palestine hostage to a global response to climate change and basically dooms them to waiting for the rapture...

But I always interpreted their talk about Palestine as saying that a global response to climate change is incomplete without Palestinian liberation. Put another way, Israel (Jews) must be excluded from the fight against climate change. Which is ironic, considering Israel, despite having a conservative government for more than a decade, is pretty committed to environmentalist policies. And you've talked about all the greenwashing nonsense on your blog before, we're all very familiar with how Jewish contributions to environmentalism will be ignored or problematized. It's just a childish worldview to say that Israeli reforestation or water conservation technology is not only distracting the world from the plight of Palestinians, but is a poisonous lie that eco activists should avoid falling for... like Israel trying to affect its local climate for the better is really going to effect white college kids in Europe and America but whatever. I've seen activists noticeably become uncomfortable when they learn that any good news re: climate comes from Israel. The smiles drop from their faces. Like come on people. Israel exists, it will continue to exist for as long as all of us alive today will be alive. Jews (and non Jews don't forget) in Israel have brains, and are aware of climate change, and want to combat it. Many of them do this. Organizations and governmental bodies also do this, it's not just individuals. When it comes to combatting climate change, the conversation begins and ends there. Israel is doing its part. Cry about it.

Also, holding global efforts to save the fucking planet hostage to the nationalist delusions of a single relatively small country seems way more insane and harmful than the other way around?

Climate change is probably the most serious crisis facing our society. It directly influences all the other crises too (war, refugees, disease, rising authoritarianism). When I see an organized group roll out a totally unserious and counterproductive response to it - like, blocking commuter streets full of paycheck-to-paycheck workers, or deferring coalitions until after I/P has been hashed out - it makes me assume those responsible are either agents provocateurs paid off by oil companies, or a lost generation of late teens so pathetically brainwormed by COVID lockdowns that they can't stop themselves from "gamifying" everything they do.

[rebeccathenaturalist]

How Clearcuts Cause Soil Erosion

Originally posted on my website at https://rebeccalexa.com/how-clearcuts-cause-soil-erosion/

I live within sight of the Willapa Hills. This mountain range, a contemporary of the Oregon Coast Range, stretches from the north bank of the Columbia River to the Olympic Mountains. As these are very old mountains–they began forming about 60 million years ago–they aren’t as tall and impressive as the Cascades. But they’re still a gorgeous sight, especially when snow falls at a low enough elevation to dust the gentle peaks.

They’re also one of the most heavily denuded mountain ranges on the west coast. All but a few small patches are in private hands and have been clearcut at least once. Old logging towns dot the area; as logging companies like Weyerhauser have sent timber overseas to be processed, most sawmills in the U.S. have closed down in recent decades. While the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) became the scapegoat in the 1990s, more jobs have been lost due to corporate decisions like these than to the protection of the last scraps of old-growth forest.

Driving across the Astoria-Megler bridge from Oregon, the beauty of the Columbia River Estuary is marred by bare, scarred hillsides everywhere you look on the Washington side. And the damage just continues as you head north up 101, which offers close-up views of land torn apart once again by recent clearcuts.

The main concern most people have with regards to clearcuts is the loss of the trees; after all, those are the most obvious component of the forest. But the damage goes much deeper. Entire ecosystems are bulldozed to bare dirt to make it easier for heavy machinery to gather the trees; killing numerous living beings and severely compacting the soil.

That soil is then left defenseless, shorn of its rich, protective layers of vegetation and duff. The Willapa Hills can get upwards of 100 inches of precipitation a year, almost all of it as rain. Climate change has led to more severe weather that dumps larger amounts of rain in short periods of time.

A healthy, mature forest can mitigate some of the effects of these downpours as vegetation slows the velocity of raindrops, and the complex, layered soil with its cover of duff absorbs the water. A clearcut lacks these protections, which means every time it rains, tons of topsoil wash off the bare hills. It takes decades for trees and other vegetation to return to a point where they can effectively protect the soil, but by that point an incredible amount of valuable soil has been lost permanently, and will take many centuries to build back up–assuming the land isn’t just clearcut again when the trees are a few decades old.

This, of course, is terrible for the local ecosystem. Any plants and fungi that return to that area are going to be dealing with badly depleted soil with fewer nutrients and a diminished soil microbiome. On a much wider scale, soil is an incredibly important carbon sink, and clearcuts severely reduce the soil’s ability to hold carbon. This is in addition to all the carbon released and produced through the act of clearcutting in the first place.

But it’s not just the land affected by soil erosion. All that soil flows into streams and other waterways. Normally the streams that cascade down the Willapa Hills have rocky beds, full of gravel deposits used by salmon to lay their eggs, and offering shelter to a variety of other aquatic life. When soil washes down into the stream, some of it settles into the gravel, smothering it and anything living in it, to include salmon eggs. This directly leads to a significant decline in salmon and other aquatic wildlife populations. Some streams have been so badly damaged that their longtime salmon runs have gone extinct.

Clearcut forests are the most obvious source of soil erosion, but the same problems happen anywhere the soil is laid bare. Millions of acres of prairie have been destroyed in the past couple of centuries to create farmland in the Midwest; grassland soils are even better carbon sinks than those in forests. And while lawns may have a rudimentary covering of one species of grass (and perhaps a few weeds in the absence of spraying), the soil underneath is usually quite unhealthy and not sequestering carbon the way a natural grassland would. (Lawns, by the way, cover over 63,000 square miles of the United States and are the country’s largest cultivated crop.)

So what can we do about all this? We can start by putting public pressure on logging companies and other entities involved in destroying intact native ecosystems like forests and grasslands. While we do still need timber, there are more sustainable alternatives to clearcutting that are also more carbon-friendly.

It’s also important to protect what native ecosystems remain, especially those that are relatively undamaged by development, invasive species, and other deleterious factors. And habitat restoration, even on a small scale, can make a big difference both locally and as part of a wider network of restoration projects in backyards and on balconies.

Finally, keep sharing news stories and other information about soil erosion and solutions. The more people know about this important ecological topic, the better decisions we can all make both as individuals and as part of a society.

Did you enjoy this post? Consider taking one of my online foraging and natural history classes or hiring me for a guided nature tour, checking out my other articles, or picking up a paperback or ebook I’ve written! You can even buy me a coffee here!

[mariacallous]

If you stood on the banks of the Cache la Poudre River in Colorado after the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire, the rumbling water may have appeared black. This slurry of ash and charred soil cascaded toward the reservoirs that supply drinking water for the downstream city of Fort Collins, home to around 170,000 people. Although the water looked clear again several weeks later, Charles Rhoades, a research biogeochemist at the US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, says he is still seeing contaminants from the fire in the watershed.

Recent studies have found that while some watersheds begin to recover within five years of a fire, others may be fundamentally altered, never fully returning to their pre-fire conditions. And with wildfires becoming more common, much larger, and burning for longer as the world warms, hydrologists, ecologists, and water-management officials are scrambling to understand and mitigate the consequences fire-contaminated water can have on humans and ecosystems.

In a healthy forest, there’s a lot of “litter” on the ground—pine needles, dead leaves, debris. “It acts like a sponge,” says Rhoades. “As rainfall comes in, it moves through that layer slowly and can trickle into the soil.” When fires scorch the land, they burn that vegetation and organic matter, leaving behind a bare landscape that’s highly susceptible to erosion. Instead of filtering into the ground, rain will slide right off the surface, moving quickly, picking up soil, and carrying it into streams and rivers. Not only does this cause sediment build-up, but it can disrupt the water chemistry. Rhoades found elevated levels of nutrients, like nitrogen, in rivers almost 15 years after a high-severity fire. These nutrients can lead to harmful algal blooms, although they don’t directly impact drinking water quality. But other sites show increased levels of heavy metals like manganese, iron, and even lead after a major fire, which can complicate water-treatment processes.

Other regions across the western US, like Taos, New Mexico, and Santa Cruz, California, have faced similar issues, as wildfires increase in frequency and duration due to climate change and decades of fire-suppression practices. For much of the 20th century, the US Forest Service and other land management agencies aimed to keep all fires from burning, believing it was the best way to protect forests. But naturally occuring, low-severity fires improve forest health, preventing the accumulation of dense underbrush and dead trees that act as fuel.

“We have this huge buildup of fuel on the landscape from 140 years of fire suppression, and we know that the consequences of that—combined with increases in severe weather—make the likelihood of really intense fire behavior much higher than it used to be,” says Alissa Cordner, an environmental sociologist and professor at Whitman College in Washington state and volunteer wildland firefighter. “We also have more and more people living next to forests and migrating to places in the wildland-urban interface.” Any municipality is at risk of water contamination if a wildfire burns through its watershed.

“Consumers rarely know about all this stuff that’s going on under the hood,” says Rhoades. After a wildfire, water providers work tirelessly to ensure residents don’t experience the effects in their taps, which requires collaboration between land agencies, like the Forest Service, USGS, and local governing bodies. They perform regular water testing, install sediment-control structures, and sometimes, alter water treatment protocols to deal with the increased load of contaminants.

Sediment is one of the biggest concerns for utilities managers, as it clogs up filtration systems that prepare water for treatment. “We have to slow down the treatment process for sediment to drop out,” says Alison Witheridge, watershed planning manager at Denver Water. “It takes more energy and more chemicals to treat the water.” When there’s too much sediment, water-treatment plants can’t take that water, says Rhoades.

After the 2012 Hayman Fire, the Poudre river had so much sediment that the water provider needed to temporarily switch to an alternative water supply. Carbon, another wildfire contaminant, can cause serious problems for water managers, too. “When you chlorinate that water in a treatment plant, you can create some carcinogenic compounds,” says Rhoades. “So if you get big pulses of carbon going into treatment plants, especially ones that aren’t used to that, they have problems.”

Municipalities with simple water-treatment plants that pull water from one source may be at the greatest risk. “If you rely on a really clean water supply, your treatment plant is not really super extensive because you don’t need it, right?” says Sheila Murphy, research hydrologist for the USGS. “So some watersheds, if there ever is a huge impact, they’re not set up for that. Now that we’re getting more fires in areas that aren’t used to fires, that’s a big challenge for water providers.”

But keeping the watershed clean is only one piece of the puzzle. If a fire damages infrastructure, cities may have to deal with potential chemical contamination from burnt pipes. When the Marshall Fire swept through Louisville, Colorado, in 2021, it left hundreds of homes and buildings burned. The city knew about the risks of burned infrastructure from the experiences in fire-impacted communities like Paradise, California, so they initiated a large water-sampling campaign to test for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), two common fire-related contaminants and carcinogens.

“This systematic testing and flushing allowed the city to clear neighborhood by neighborhood, block by block, and house by house,” says Cory Peterson, deputy director of utilities for the City of Louisville. “The water-distribution system was able to come back relatively quickly, but we also wanted to make sure the individual service lines to homes were safe.” They continued to test throughout the home-rebuild process and created an interactive map for the community to see their property’s water-quality status.

While cities now have many tools and extensive knowledge to adequately respond in an emergency, “the long-term effects that these ecosystem shifts have on our water supply is sort of unknown and underexplored,” says Matt Ross, an ecosystem scientist and assistant professor at Colorado State University.

Proper response and rehabilitation is tricky because it depends on the region’s terrain, existing water supply, and infrastructure. The USGS is currently performing research in California, Oregon, New Mexico, Montana, and Colorado to see how each region’s watershed responds. “Some places may be more resilient to the effects of fire, whereas in some areas where you have extreme storms, such as New Mexico, we often see a very large sediment response that can cause a lot of damage and fill reservoirs,” says Murphy.

In addition to geology and precipitation, there’s also land use to consider. “Are there legacy mines in the region or is there agricultural use? Are there urban-wildland interfaces? All those factors will affect what you see in the watershed,” she says. Once their research is complete, they hope to give water providers a better idea of what the potential risks are for a particular region so cities can better prepare.

Data collection and monitoring are also essential, says Ross, who has been working to install remote sensors in streams to measure water quality in real time. These sensors are increasingly common and capture basic parameters like dissolved oxygen, acidity, and suspended sediment. “It’s really helpful to know what’s coming into the system and can provide an early warning,” says Witheridge.

There’s also the long-term work that extends years after the fire itself. Land managers may plant trees to stabilize soils or establish vegetation closer to streams and restore watershed function, says Rhoades. And there’s work on the front end, too, like tree thinning and forest clean-up to prevent fires—or at least keep them from reaching high severity.

Overall, there is a shift toward a more holistic approach to fire management. “We’re thinking about the impacts of fire not just in how many acres burned or how many structures destroyed, but what happens to watersheds or what happens to the health of people in smoky communities a thousand miles away,” says Cordner. “All of those ripple effects do raise a sense of urgency for us to do as much mitigation work as we can.”

[tieflingkisser]

Internal memo reveals Anti-Defamation League surveillance of leftwing activist

Self-styled anti-hate group tracked Black organizer who opposed links between US police and Israeli military

The Anti-Defamation League has surveilled leftwing activists and “regularly tracks, profiles and sends threat assessments of individuals” it perceives as a problem, according to an internal email obtained by the Guardian.

[...]

The memo shows the ADL collected information on a Black Indianapolis activist, Tatjana Rebelle, who worked on Deadly Exchange, a national campaign against an ADL-backed program to send US police officials for training with the Israeli military. Rebelle, however, said the local campaign on which they worked did not target the ADL, and they had never directly engaged with the group. In the email, which included a picture and personal information about Rebelle, ADL head of security Chris Delia concluded Rebelle was “a radical with antisemitic and hateful views” but was “not a threat” to the organization. Still, he recommended the file be referred to the organization’s Center on Extremism, which tracks, in its words, “extremist trends, ideologies and groups across the ideological spectrum”. Rebelle, who left the Deadly Exchange program in mid-2018 to work with a youth climate nonprofit, said they were “terrified” for themself and their family after learning about the 2020 assessment. “It scared the shit out of me,” Rebelle said, adding that it has had a chilling effect on their activism and what they say publicly. “It stopped me from moving forward because I don’t want to put people in my life at risk – I work with youth, so it stopped me in my tracks.”

[...]

The ADL has come under fire in recent years as it has leveled charges of antisemitism against leftwing Jewish groups, Black Lives Matter, Palestinian rights groups and other organizations critical of Israel. It has increasingly lobbied for federal legislation on antisemitism, some of which critics say is intended to target leftwing Jewish and Palestinian rights groups. It has become more aggressive since the Gaza war’s outset, but its credibility has also suffered – most recently, Wikipedia’s editors found the ADL could not be trusted to give reliable information on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

[...]

Rebelle said they had been previously targeted by local white nationalists and pro-Israel groups that tried to get them fired from jobs or removed from speaking engagements, but the ADL memo came as a surprise because the group was not involved her work in Indianapolis. Rebelle said the ADL was “targeting black queer folks”, and is evidence of a larger problem with the organization. “It’s the personal way that they described me … [it] is the same way we would describe a white nationalist or a lone shooter profile,” Rebelle said. “I really was trying to build community and liberation, and we never harm anyone.”

[marveltrumpshate]

Current Events

This year continued to be A Lot and we decided to ensure that there were charities that directly addressed current events. Folded into this post are groups that work for aid targeting every natural disaster as well as man-made ones, climate change, the ongoing pandemic of gun violence, and more. If you're looking for an organization that directly addresses any of those, this is your spotlight post. 

For more information on donation methods and accepted currencies, please refer to our list of organizations page.

ALA "Unite Against Book Bans" Campaign

This campaign run by the American Library Association is the best way to fight against the book bans happening in several U.S. states. This fight is more crucial than ever; in 2022, the ALA recorded the highest number of censorship attempts in the past 20 years. The initiative works to halt the spread of censorship in school and public libraries across the U.S., empower individuals to fight censorship in their communities, and preserve our right to choose what to read. 

Clean Air Task Force

As we've seen for a long time now but especially this year with constant natural disasters and alarming news from all over the world, climate change is real and we need to do something about it. Over the past 25 years, CATF, a group of climate and energy experts who think outside the box to solve the climate crisis, has pushed for technology innovations, legal advocacy, research, and policy changes. Their goal is to achieve a zero-emissions, high-energy planet at an affordable cost.

Direct Relief

Direct Relief provides humanitarian relief regardless of politics, religious or ethnic identities, or ability to pay and prepares the most vulnerable communities worldwide for more frequent, destructive emergencies. When disasters strike, they respond effectively and efficiently to provide requested medical equipment, medicine, and supplies to locally run healthcare facilities and projects.

Electronic Freedom Foundation

The leading nonprofit defending civil liberties in digital spaces, EFF champions user privacy, free expression, and innovation through impact litigation, policy analysis, grassroots activism, and technology development. They fight against online censorship and illegal surveillance, advocate for net neutrality and data protection, and more so that technology supports freedom, justice, and innovation for everyone. 

International Rescue Committee 

Founded in 1933, the IRC is a long-standing trusted partner in supporting those whose lives have been upended by sudden violence, political or natural. They are no stranger to areas of disaster and conflict throughout the world as they currently work in 40 countries. The IRC provides emergency aid and long-term assistance, including refugee settlement, and focuses on health, education, economic well-being, empowerment, and safety. 

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

Odds are you’ve heard of MSF, the global organization that sends trained medical professionals to the places they’re needed most. MSF has been working globally for over 50 years, providing medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare—no matter what. They’re guided by principles of independence, impartiality, and neutrality to global political policies or movements. 

National Disaster Search Dog Foundation

This organization rescues, trains, and places abused or abandoned dogs with first responders at no cost to rescue humans in disasters. Search dogs are one of the best resources for locating survivors buried under wreckage, and this is a great solution for dogs whose personalities might make them unsuitable as family pets but ideal for search and rescue.  

Partners In Health

Founded by Paul Farmer when he was still in medical school, PIH is committed to bringing exceptional health care to every corner of the planet. PIH also works to provide access to food, transportation, housing, and other key components of healing to the most vulnerable. Their work started in Haiti but has expanded rapidly across the globe. 

RIP Medical Debt 

Over 100 million Americans (one in three) are struggling with paying off medical bills. COVID has only added to those numbers, putting people under significant financial burden and emotional distress. This organization buys up medical debt in order to forgive it with no tax consequences to donors or recipients. Donate just $1 and you wipe out $100 of someone's medical debt, $100 to get rid of $10,000 in debt, and so on—the ripple effect is real. Through their work, RIP Medical Help not only helps with financial relief but also brings attention to the need for a more compassionate, transparent, equitable, and affordable healthcare system.

Transgender Law Center

Transgender Law Center, the largest trans-specific and trans-led organization in the U.S., changes law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely and authentically and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression. Through its precedent-setting litigation victories and community-driven programs, TLC protects the rights of transgender and gender nonconforming people in areas spanning employment, prison conditions, education, immigration, healthcare, and more.

Violence Policy Center

Named "the most effective…anti-gun rabble-rouser in Washington” by none other than its opponent, the National Rifle Association (NRA), the Violence Policy Center has a long and proven record of policy successes on stopping gun violence. The VPC informs the public about the impact of gun violence, exposes the profit-driven marketing and lobbying activities of the firearms industry and gun lobby, offers expertise to policymakers, organizations, and advocates on the federal, state, and local levels, and more.

Waterkeeper Alliance

In 1966, this movement was started by a band of blue-collar fishermen pushing back against industrial polluters, and their tough spirit remains intact through the 300+ local community groups that make up the global Waterkeeper Alliance today. The Alliance works to ensure, preserve, and protect clean and abundant water for all people and creatures. Their programs are diverse, spanning from patrolling waterways against polluters to advocating for environmental laws in courtrooms and town halls and educating in classrooms.

World Central Kitchen

Started by Chef José Andrés, WCK makes sure that people are fed in the wake of natural disasters. Their programs advance human and environmental health, offer access to professional culinary training, create jobs, and improve food security. WCK also teaches food safety and cooking classes to native people who live where disasters have occurred, so they may open restaurants and support the local economy more permanently. You can follow where WCK is currently on the ground assisting and feeding people affected by natural and man-made crises here.