Category: Climate Change

The Inflation Reduction Act At Work

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The Inflation Reduction Act At Work

 

The Inflation Reduction Act At Work

By D. S. Mitchell

In the Winter edition of “Solutions,” a publication of the Environmental Defense there was a brief article on the Inflation Reduction Act by Vanessa Glavinskas.  Ms. Glavinskas explained five benefits to the average American to facilitate the transition to clean renewable energy.  The new law allocates $369 billion to address climate change and promote lower-carbon living through rebates and tax credits. Listed below are five areas of your home where you can start saving money today.

The Roof: Time to add solar panels. The new law provides tax credits of up to 30% to households that invest in clean energy. The credit is retroactive to 2022. The typical cost for a residential solar set up is around $19,000. In that scenario a homeowner would save $5,700. The cost of the system is usually recouped within 12 years.

The Driveway: The new law gives tax credits of up to $4,000 for buying a used electrical vehicle and up to $7,500 for a new EV. The EV must have final assembly in North America to qualify. This means some brands won’t qualify. So if it is important to you to get those tax credits make sure you confirm that the EV you intend to buy was assembled in the U.S.A.

The Kitchen: Gas stoves leak the super pollutant methane, comparable to 500,000 gasoline powered cars. Furthermore gas stoves also release the carcinogenic benzene. If you want to transition to an electric stove, oven, or range there are rebates of up to $840.

The Laundry Room: Heat pump clothes dryers, rarely seen in the U.S. but popular in Europe take a bit longer to dry a load of clothes but are much more energy efficient than traditional models. Qualifying households can get a rebate of up to $840.

The Thermostat: A heat pump is an efficient way to heat and cool your home. With a heat pump the system transfers heat between your home and the outdoors and can save you hundreds of dollars annually. Most U.S. households can qualify for a tax credit up to $2,000. Low income families may be able to qualify for a tax credit of as much as $8,000 per installation.

 

 

OPINION:Horrible Language, Horrible Intent

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OPINION: Horrible Language, Horrible Intent

It's a dog fight, and it will be playing out near you as the 2022 Midterms approach

OPINION: Horrible Language, Horrible Intent

By D. S. Mitchell

It’s Ugly Out There

It’s a dog fight. The language is vitriolic. Hundreds of millions of dollars spent on campaign ads, showing candidates brandishing AR-15’s and going so far as to call their opponents “groomers” and “pedophiles”. Numerous Republican candidates have made claims that their liberal opponents are “grooming” children by pushing for LGBTQI+ rights; claims repeated by Tucker Carlson every night on the FOX channel. The radical language is not just for the opposition party, but these hyped-up right-winger’s are threatening members of their own party who they feel are not obscene, or disgusting enough, labeling them “RINO’s (Republicans in name only).”

Dangerous Topics

These ads filling our TV and PC screens are pushing some highly dangerous topics, one of the more dangerous and disgusting, is the current monster under the bed, the ‘great replacement theory’ and other similar racially and religiously charged conspiracies. According to America’s Voice, a progressive immigration advocacy group, hundreds of GOP ads specifically mention “replacement theory,” “migrants,” and “invasion.”

Enrique

The airwaves are filled with Republicans accusing Democrats of deliberately encouraging migrants to cross the southern border illegally so they can “replace white voters”. They further claim Democrats are trying to indoctrinate children with fake history lessons about systemic racism against blacks. Of course it isn’t just blacks; it’s browns, Mexicans, Muslims, Jews, Asians and anyone that isn’t ‘really’ white- Christian. In a country like ours, the “real” white guys are pretty far and few between. Apparently, the neo-Nazi, white supremacist group, the Proud Boys, couldn’t find enough of those ‘real white guys’ and were forced to enlist  Enrique Torrio, a man of Afro-Cuban ancestry, whose parents came as immigrants from Cuba, to act as their front man. What a joke. Only, it’s not a joke.

Highly Combustible

The language is dangerous and highly combustible. In my view, the hateful language is fodder for inevitable violent consequences. Hate crimes are up 339 per cent! The shooter in Buffalo, referenced the racist replacement theory 10 times in writings before his killing rampage at a Top’s Food Market. The gunman called his victims “replacers” of white Americans. While there’s no direct one-to-one connection between one campaign ad and a person or group carrying out a crime, “there is a really clear relationship between the hateful speech of politicians and hateful acts,” Sophie Bjork-James, an expert on racism, said recently. Ms Bjork-James went on to say that there seemed to be a disturbing pattern between a string of violent incidents across the United States and an increase in “dangerous” highly charged language from Republican candidates and sitting GOP members of Congress in ads, social media posts, and speeches.

Systematic Replacement

“They will not replace us,” was the rallying cry at the Charlottesville riot in 2018. This replacement conspiracy theory has anti-Semitic origins. This baseless belief theorizes that Jews are behind a systematic program to replace ‘white people’ with immigrants and black people, with the intent to  overwhelm American elections. When challenged to stop promoting such hateful speech the noise only  intensifies. Despite the outcry, Republicans refuse to step away from the hateful language. Recently 32 GOP members of Congress repeated “invasion” language in a letter to Joe Biden, demanding the president “protect America from invasion.” When surveyed, 7 in 10 Republicans believe the heated rhetoric. In fact, 7 out of 10 Republicans believe Democrats eat the bodies of small children, are actually, lizard people, and who the hell knows what else?

A Trumpian Call

J.D. Vance, a Republican U. S. Senate candidate in Ohio, said back in February, the only way President Joe Biden could win reelection in 2024 “is to replace the citizens of his own country with illegal foreigners. The invasion he’s allowing to happen at the border is about power for democrats and nothing more.” The fear mongering ramps up as we close in on the 2022 midterms. Traditionally the party out of power wins seats in the midterms. So, why are the Republicans going to the most base and deplorable extremes when they are almost guaranteed to  to flip the House, and perhaps even the Senate.

It’s not just liberals, immigrants, or trans kids, in the cross hairs. Republican candidates and lawmakers who are not aggressive enough are also are being targeted. Former Missouri governor, a candidate for  the U.S. Senate, released a video of him smashing into a residence, carrying an assault rifle, backed-up by a group of individuals in combat attire, also carrying long guns, and announced, “Today, I’m going RINO hunting.” The RINO’s are corrupt and cowardly, get a “RINO hunting permit. There’s no bagging limit, no tagging limit, and it doesn’t expire until we save our country.” Holy Moly. This is how he treats his allies? Facebook removed the ad and Twitter flagged it. Wimps.

January 6th Threats

Adam Kinzinger, is one, of only two Republicans, on the January 6th Committee. Kinzinger also voted to impeach former President Donald Trump. Kinzinger has been threatened, along with his wife and newborn son. Trump has labeled Kinzinger as a RINO. Kinzinger, predicts, “There is violence in the future, and we can’t expect any different.”

Pissed Off And Ready To Shoot Someone

The Department of Homeland Security is also warning of a “heightened threat environment” due to  domestic terrorism and ‘a politically charged environment.’ The agency pointed out a large number of false narratives and racist conspiracy theories in a recent report. DHS Secretary, Mayorkas, said the department is keeping close tabs on extremist groups, “Individuals spurred by ideology of hate, false narratives, personal grievances, (are likely) to act out violently.”

No 400 Pounders

The theories the Republicans are vocalizing aren’t coming from 400 pounders knocking out posts in their basement, but the rhetoric and the absurdities are coming from people who have real power. The continued hateful, divisive rhetoric, has gotten out of control. It is time to tap this shit down. Extremist thought is being elevated to a level of legitimacy unheard of, at least in the last fifty years. Words, and speech we may have heard at a card game, or in a bar-and certainly on the fringes of politics-but not spoken aloud by major players.

Conclusion

Those never said descriptors now part of 2022 campaigning. Is it working? I’m sure it is with a certain part of the electorate, I’m hoping that there are enough outraged women in the country to put  a stop to the Republican plan. However, if the Republicans take back the House and the Senate, I expect the rhetoric and the violence will become a larger, and larger. factor in our daily lives. We are headed for a new Jim Crow, a new repression of women, and LGBTQ suppression. I predict; chaos is coming, unless there is a blue wave; previously unseen in history. A huge Democratic turn out, that runs the Republicans out of office, is the only thing that could turn this whole thing around.

 

Reject Climate Misinformation

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Reject Climate Misinformation

When changing minds you often need to change hearts first.

 

Reject Climate Misinformation

By D. S. Mitchell

Ants at a Picnic

Misinformation proliferates like ants at a picnic, while truth seems to lumber along aimlessly. Such distortion is often hard to fight on major issues such as climate change. The hazards of ignoring or misunderstanding climate change are too dangerous to let this continue. Sadly, two thirds of the American public admits they rarely discuss global warming. It is more important than ever to help people understand how dangerous the phenomenon is to the planet and us; her population. We must start talking about it, and keep talking about it.

Comfort Zone

Changing minds is not an easy task. Each of us tend to hide out in our own information bubble, fending off ideas that threaten our beliefs. The Environmental Defense Fund in a recent article in their Solutions’ magazine offered six ways to fight climate misinformation. Frequently we will hear a friend or loved one spread fake news and want to speak up, but are uncomfortable in confronting the lies and misinformation.  EDF’s Misinformation Brigade has some suggestions to help navigate the touchy subject of climate change and other hard issues confronting our world. Creating tactful and inclusive engagement is essential. Here are EDF’s tips on how to help correct climate change misinformation.

Friendly Ground

It is a proven fact that people are more likely to take in information from someone they know and trust than a stranger. So, shut down the PC. The internet is not where you will sway hearts and minds. To have the most impact, stick with your inner circle. Furthermore, no one likes to be publicly pressured, so if you want to make the biggest impact, do it in private.

Confirmation Bias

‘Confirmation Bias’ is the psychological mechanism that confirms the content of information we as individuals take in from the world around us that supports our already formed worldview. All that means is that we look for information to support our already formed opinions.  Knowing that can help us change thinking. So, remember, before you make any statement, pro or con, ask questions of your friend or family member. Find out how they feel about the “news” they are sharing. It is important that you as a maker of change start by acknowledging their feelings. Listen to what they say, it will make them more wiling to listen to your point of view.

Appeal to Fear

Definitions are important. “Misinformation” is defined as ‘inaccurate or misleading’ information. On the other hand, “disinformation” is characterized as ‘deliberately deceptive.” The purveyors of disinformation use emotion-usually anger-to appeal to people who may already be feeling afraid or powerless. That sense of powerlessness thrives during periods of social unrest, war, and pandemics. It is important that you recognize that dynamic when engaging in conversations. Engage your kindness gene and use kindness and tolerance not irritation and anger.

Shared Values

Start with shared values. Avoid condemnation. Encourage the conversation with an imagined future world where kids have clean water and air, where we are energy independent, where there are still wilderness areas. Devise a plan to work together to make that wished for world a reality.

Getting it Straight

It is important to understand  that we are all being bombarded by fake news and disinformation. All you have to do is open Facebook. Admit it up front, that you might have some things wrong; it may help get a conversation started. Maybe you and your family member, or friend, could make it your business to research “news sources” and “facts”. EDF Action’s website can be helpful in finding links and tools  to verify content. Lead Stories might be a more comfortable site for conservatives to use when verifying information. Just commit to verify all content before you post the “news”; or spread the information.

Conclusion

Have respect for the topic, and make sure that you are only sharing true, correct and verifiable information. Let’s make sure we are part of the solution, not part of the problem. If you spot something particularly harmful on social media, report it to lguite@edfaction.org and they will  contact social media companies and address the disinformation and lobby for its removal as inaccurate, or in the least tag it as inaccurate.

Resources:

edf.org/how-we-can-fight-climate-misinformation: (Check out the EDF guide to identify and combat disinformation).

edf.org/brigade: (Join the Misinformation Brigade and you will receive texts on dangerous misinformation and what you can do to help stop its spread).

leadstories.com (Check out this conservative fact checking site).

 

 

Fifty-Two Ways To Celebrate Earth Day

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Fifty-Two Ways to Celebrate Earth DayEarth Day is April 22nd. Time to invest in our planet.Fifty-Two Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

 

By Anna Hessel & Wes Hessel

 

There’s Just the One Earth

There are several ways to make an investment in our planet, many of which have no financial cost or little expenditure.  In fact, being earth friendly can often save you money.  Here are fifty-two ideas, one for each Earth Day we have celebrated so far:

  1. Plant a tree; in addition to their benefit of taking in the carbon dioxide we and animals breathe out and giving back oxygen we all need; trees can help save on home heating/cooling. Choose a deciduous tree (one that loses its leaves in the fall) for the south side of your dwelling, which will allow winter sun to help heat the home, as well as provide shade in the summer months. For a northern or other windy exposure, opt for coniferous (that is, pine-type trees), which can provide a wind break against the cold (or heat, if you live in a hot area).
  2. Organize a trash pickup on the side of the road, a vacant lot, or anywhere needing rid of debris – let’s show we care for what we are blessed with.
  3. Don’t litter, ever – take a moment to put recycling and trash in their proper places; everybody wins.
  4. Plan a recycling event in your community – many things are toxic to the environment if not disposed of properly, not to mention items like electronics at the end of their life can yield back needed precious metals such as gold and platinum. But maybe they are just something you’re done with but that can help someone else, like donating cell phones to organizations who refurbish them for victims of domestic violence.
  5. Watch Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth”, and its sequel, then choose at least one thing to help stave off climate change – we all benefit.
  6. Some years back our church did a children’s musical and reception to educate the public about Earth Day – try something of this nature at your place of worship or school.
  7. Read the many publications available about pollution, global warming, and climate change – learn how we can all do our part.
  8. Educate yourself with virtual or in person Earth Day events – never stop learning.
  9. Reduce your use of paper – recycle what you do use; options like e-tickets save trees and curb environmental factors, as well as they can be easier to keep track of.
  10. Join a free swap group to stop items from going into landfills – save money in the process, too.

You Can Sustain…

  1. Opt for environmentally friendly cleaning products – clean with green.
  2. Use your local library to learn more about Mother Earth – keep learning.
  3. Choose farm-to-table food items and buy from local farmers – energy used in transportation is saved, and less gas emissions go into the air we breathe, not to mention the freshness gained in eating.
  4. Shop sustainably – for instance, ordering online can save on individual car trips, combining them into more efficient delivery routes. Also opt for purchases that include materials that are recycled or repurposed, and which are made with more sustainable and safe processes.
  5. Don’t waste resources – save water, for example, by not leaving the faucet running while brushing your teeth or between dish rinses. Turn lights off in places where no one is going to be for more than a minute, literally.
  6. Keep your car running efficiently to avoid harmful emissions – not only does it improve the air we breathe, but it also saves money with less gas used.
  7. Consider an electric or hybrid vehicle – more of the same as the previous choice.
  8. Use solar energy, if possible – even opening curtains in colder months during sunny times will cut your heating bill and use less energy of other forms. Active solar such as heating or solar cells improve the benefits significantly and can bring rebates or tax savings.
  9. Compost – even a small porch/balcony-type depository for used organic materials like fruit peels and so on cuts waste going to landfills, as well as offers low-cost, safer fertilizer. Countertop units are also now available.
  10. Use environmentally friendly household products such as paper towel or bathroom tissue. Look for green items where you shop whenever possible – recycling cuts down on energy used in manufacturing and gas emissions.

Save The Planet, Save Money…

  1. Choose Earth friendly items when remodeling your home, such as double or triple pane windows letting warm sun in but keeping the cold out, or vice versa with shades or blinds in warm months.
  2. When considering cosmetic items such as sunscreen, choose environmentally friendly companies, and, of course, cruelty free also – what goes on your skin can enter the body, so choose wisely.
  3. Biodegradable balloons are available for your next party or event, or opt for other decorating choices, as balloons can be dangerous for small children.
  4. Avoid lawn products that are toxic, not just for the planet, but for pets and wildlife.
  5. Wear ecofriendly clothing and use ecofriendly linens – items using easier to wash fabrics saves on washing costs and energy used, not to mention the environmental impact of production.
  6. Shop at thrift stores – they have many items for any budget. It’s a great way to reuse/repurpose and save money.
  7. Take military showers, which is to shut the water off between rinses – water and heating energy saved. Showers heads with built-in shutoffs can make this easier.
  8. Use eco-friendly bath products – once again, more recycling, lower waste, and less wear and tear on the environment.
  9. Put a brick in your toilet tank and invest in a low flow shower head – more water saved.
  10. Consider bar soap and shampoo and recycle any plastic shampoo or conditioner containers; also choosing containers which are designed to sit upside down when not in use will increase the amount of product you can use out of each product.

Make Good Choices

  1. Use zero or low waste grooming products that are sustainable – refills with less packaging are a good environmentally friendly choice.
  2. Take a nature walk with your children or pet – not only do we then enjoy the environment we are saving but we gain the health benefits of exercise and endorphins.
  3. A bath can be greener than showering if you take very long showers but short showers can use less water than bathing – try closing the drain one time while showering to see if the water accumulated is less or more than that of a tub run.
  4. Take a quiz to ascertain your carbon footprint to reduce it – we can always do a little better.
  5. Save energy in your home, and walk, bike, or carpool, whenever possible; turn off or up/down to use less and choose more active or sharing options for transportation.
  6. Go ahead and hug that tree, you know you want to – the Earth will love you back.
  7. Avoid excessive use of aerosols – we’ll all breathe better and stop erosion of our natural UV protection in the atmosphere.
  8. Remember to give a hoot, don’t pollute.
  9. Plant flowers – beautification, exercise, and viewing recreation, as well as the benefits of saving water with plants like succulents, or flooding mitigation by plants which can absorb excess water. And choose environmentally safer methods while you’re at it.
  10. Start a community vegetable garden – working together is better for our emotional environment, and can be more sustainable, not to mention the benefits of sharing, especially with those who are in need. Find services on the internet who can take excess produce to food pantries and banks, saving on food waste and helping at the same time.

Clean And Green

  1. Plant an herb garden – freshness adds to taste, and less energy is spent going to the store and for food processing.
  2. Put fresh mushrooms on your grocery list of sustainable foods – great benefits in multiple ways.
  3. Add avocados and bananas to your sustainable fruit and veggies basket – more health and uses beyond just as food.
  4. Create a pretty terrarium – a little more oxygen for the indoors, as well as a micro-environment reminding us of the big one, we all share.
  5. Post-Earth friendly tips on social media – it’s always good to share…
  6. Do a science experiment – try food science to learn more sustainable processes or learn ways to do things better for all of us; a good way to get our children involved.
  7. Make a do-it-yourself dry seed bomb – just make sure you use it in a place where you have permission to…
  8. Spread a pinecone with peanut butter and sprinkle birds seeds on it – instant, environmentally safe bird feeder
  9. Enjoy a nature-based scavenger hunt – more exercise and awareness of the beauty around us
  10. Recycle a small wooden box filled with pinecones, dried grass, and bark to attract insects that assist in controlling non-beneficial pests – call it a bug hotel…

Always Room for One (Or Two) More

  1. If you haven’t already, replace your light bulbs with LED-based ones – they use significantly less electricity, saving energy and money. They often have subsidized prices which make them cheaper.  But don’t forget to dispose of them safely, as with all things…
  2. Make each day an Earth Day – look for that one thing, as they say, each day, that shows the Earth it’s worth…

Earth Day is an international event that began in 1970.  For more information, and a list of events across the globe and in your own neighborhood, please visit the Earth Day official site at www.earthday.org.

The Dangers of Permafrost Thaw

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The Dangers Of Permafrost Thaw

Permafrost thaw is a growing danger

The Dangers of Permafrost Thaw

By Anne Rose Muiruri

What Is Permafrost?

Permafrost is any sort of frozen ground, ranging from soil to sediment to rock, that has remained frozen for at least two years and as long as hundreds of thousands of years. It can range in depth from a few feet to more than a mile beneath the earth’s surface, covering huge regions like the Arctic tundra or a single, isolated point like an alpine permafrost mountaintop.

Microbial Breakdown

Microbes that breakdown the carcasses of plants and animals release carbon dioxide, methane, and other global warming gases into the air. A deep freeze successfully halts that process, preserving organisms as well as the gases they would otherwise release underground in the permafrost. The microbial decomposition of those organic materials—and the emission of greenhouse gases—restarts when frozen soil thaws.

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Reducing Food Waste

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Reducing Food Waste

Edible food is thrown away by the ton every year in the United States

Reducing Food Waste

Food is discarded by the ton every day in the United States. . . 80 billion pounds a year.  Not only is this  morally unconscionable when more than 50 million Americans are food insecure, but it is also an environmental catastrophe. There are things each of us can do to help reverse this growing problem.

D. S. Mitchell

 

Huge Loss

As a Sierra Club member I receive the organizations quarterly magazine. ‘Sierra’ The Magazine of the Sierra Club (Winter/2021) published a short article by Paul Rauber on the topic of food waste. The article was eye opening for me. After all, I try to do my part; I carefully separate my recycling, buy local, refuse excess packaging, advocate for organic, yet I am guilty of wasting food. Apparently, I am a small part of the problem, but when multiplied by millions, we have a huge problem of food waste in this country.

At the Supermarket

In my youth I worked as a checker at a major west coast grocery chain. I remember the waste was high. We contributed large amounts of product to local food pantries, slashed prices on expiring produce, dehydrated some items for bulk sales, but we also filled the dumpster out back with a large amount of food waste. Statistics in Rauber’s article indicate that grocery stores alone throw away 3.5 million tons of food each year, mostly dairy and produce. But it isn’t just grocery stores filling the dumpsters that are causing the problem.

Environmental Impact

In 2020, farmers plowed under millions of tons of vegetables and ranchers killed thousands of heads of livestock because restaurants closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and there was no market for the food. Whether its the asparagus you let die in the crisper or the broccoli your toddler refuses to eat; it all ends up in the landfill. Of course, as already noted, there is a moral failure when there is hunger in a country as rich as the United States, but it is also an environmental catastrophe. Rauber states in his article, “Discarded food is the single largest component of U.S landfills. There it becomes the country’s third largest source of methane.” Methane is a greenhouse gas that develops as our wasted, uneaten food rots in the landfill.

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Senator Sinema, Has Heads Shaking

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OPINION:
Senator Sinema, Has Heads Shaking

Kyrsten Sinema is taking lots of money from big pharma

OPINION:

Senator Sinema, Has Heads Shaking

Are There Moles Within The Democratic Party?

By William Jones

A Minority of Two

Senator Kyrsten Sinema has emerged as one of the two biggest roadblocks to President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan.  She left D. C.  recently for a fundraising trip to Europe. Sinema’s trip came amid ongoing negotiations over the bill and was a slap in the face to Democrats. Senators Sinema and Joe Manchin, are the lone Democratic senate holdouts blocking the President’s proposal. These two holding out against the majority of their party, is a big deal.

Just Tell Us What You Want

Bernie Sanders, who chairs the Senate Budget Committee, recently criticized Sinema. Sanders just wants to know what she would support. Other senators have similarly accused Sinema of stonewalling her own party, refusing to define a position. President Biden is said to be “exasperated” after hours of talks with her. He and others have complained that Sinema doesn’t “move” from her position in negotiations and show so little respect, she often fails to  “return calls from the White House.”

Looking Across The Pond

Lawmakers are barred from raising money from foreign sources. However,  members of Congress occasionally travel overseas to solicit donations from Americans living abroad. Those overseas donors tend to be affluent and well-connected. Ms. Sinema’s office declined to tell reporters how long she would be abroad. They also declined to disclose what countries she was visiting, or how the trip was being paid for. No further information was provided regarding additional fund-raising for her campaign.

Big Pharma

Aside from looking for off shore money the Arizona senator has been soaking up donations from the pharmaceutical industry and other corporate groups who want to kill key parts of the bill. I am here to report she has continued to make time to meet with those donors.

$5,800 Per Seat

Last month, Sinema held a fundraiser with five business groups that oppose President Biden’s bill, charging attendees up to $5,800 to attend a 45-minute event. Earlier this month, Sinema left Washington to go to Arizona, where she attended a ritzy donor “retreat” at a high-end resort and spa, with no small donors in sight.

Refuses to Meet Constituents

Sinema’s refusal to engage elected members of her own party has extended to her constituents. Numerous constituents have complained that Sinema will not meet with them, either in her office or at a town hall. She has steadfastly refused to hold a single town hall since her election. Multiple groups within the sate of Arizona have already launched efforts to raise money in support of a Democratic primary challenger in 2024.

Hecklers Chase Sinema

Tensions have continued to rise between Sinema and her own constituents.  Arizona protesters repeatedly confronted the senator at several locations this month. Some even heckled her during a class presentation at Arizona State University and  then followed  her into a campus restroom. The Intercept reported that Sinema teaches an ASU class on fundraising, including topics like “how to cultivate large individual donors,” “opportunistic fundraising” and “corporate giving.” The topics alone leave little doubt as to her priorities.

Mounting Pressure Campaign

Senator Kyrsten Sinema, the ‘moderate’ Arizona Democrat who has objected to the size and scope of President Biden’s sweeping legislative agenda, has been trailed all over the country by progressive activists in an effort to intensify public pressure on her.  Besides the bathroom incident, activists have followed her onto an airplane and even to the Boston Marathon.

Deeply Disappointing

The United States Senate is split 50 Democratic senators and 50 Republican senators. V.P. Harris is then available to provide the tie breaking vote. Democrats need every Democrat to stand united to pass any bill. These facts have greatly empowered both Mr. Manchin and Ms. Sinema as the party’s vocal holdouts. Ms. Sinema has pushed for the House to adopt a separate, bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill while the larger budget package is being negotiated. She called the delay in voting on the infrastructure package “inexcusable” and “deeply disappointing” in early October.

Conclusion

Kyrsten Sinema is on rocky ground with her electorate. Angry constituents are confronting her, she is pissing off the crowd in the White House, and she has angered nearly all of her fellow senate Democrats. Sometimes there isn’t enough money to save your reputation.  Sinema was sent to the Senate to work for her constituents not the drug companies. Wake up Senator Sinema. The country is begging for what is in this bill, do your part to make it happen.

 References

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/13/us/politics/kyrsten-sinema-fundraising-europe.html

https://www.salon.com/2021/10/14/kyrsten-sinema-ditches-senate-negotiations-for-fundraising-trip-to-europe/

Sensible Joe, or Joe McNaughty?

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OPINION:

Sensible Joe, or Joe McNaughty?

OPINION:

Sensible Joe, or Joe McNaughty?

Is it about the interests of West Virginians, fossil fuel, or himself ? 

By William Jones

Hackles are Up

West Virginia lawmaker Joe Manchin has been raising a lot of hackles amongst the Democratic caucus. Joe recently  announced that he wasn’t on board with the Democrats’ $3.5 trillion reconciliation package. In fact, he said he was considering voting no when the package comes up for a vote. He wants everybody to slow it down and delay voting on it until 2022.

Last Best Chance

The Biden spending measure is vital. The opportunity is here to raise millions out of poverty and pass a substantive climate policy. The clock is ticking. The 2022 mid-terms are just around the corner.  Historically, the party out of power will re-take the House of Representatives, in the first two years of a new president’s term. So Manchin’s latest hairpin turn has attracted a lot of negative attention from his Democratic colleagues. As for Manchin, he can’t walk down the halls of congress without a flotilla of reporters following in hot pursuit, desperate to find out if he will continue to thwart his political party’s platform and his party’s president’s personal agenda.

Praise From the Press

Since his declaration, a piece in National Review has praised what it saw as Manchin’s fiscal instincts and willingness to stand up to fellow Democrats. A Brookings blog post argued that “his main concern that additional deficit financed spending adds to inflation risks is not unfounded.” A former adviser suggested to The Washington Post that Manchin is fundamentally mysterious and his vote is, as usual, unpredictable.

Counting the Money

Joe Manchin, though, made half a million dollars last year off his son’s coal company, meaning that coal paid him roughly three times the $174,000 salary he made last year as a public servant. Pundits don’t need to look much beyond that to understand what’s driving him.

And There’s More Money

Manchin has earned more than $4.5 million from Enersystems Inc. and Farmington Resources Inc., two coal industry companies he founded in the 1980s. He probably likes all the attention he’s getting, too. Maybe he fancies himself a champion of the forgotten man. But if on a given day you are trying to understand what Joe Manchin’s priorities are, it’s probably best to look to the priorities of the companies he’s gotten money from.

Lobbyists and Donations

In June, Exxon lobbyist Keith McCoy told the Unearthed, a Greenpeace investigative outlet, that Manchin was among their key targets and that he’s participated in weekly meetings with company operatives. Overall, though, he’s received more donations from coal, oil, and gas companies this campaign cycle than every other senator.  Manchin got $10,000 from Exxon Mobil for his 2018 reelection campaign. His top donor so far for the 2022 cycle is Tellurian Inc., a gas company.

In Compliance 

Manchin’s spokesperson recently said the senator is in full compliance with all Senate ethics and financial disclosure rules. He also stated that Manchin continues to work to find a path forward on important climate legislation that maintains American leadership in energy innovation and critical energy reliability.

Denials All Around

Manchin has also denied the weekly meeting allegations in the Unearthed report. Manchin is working to ensure that the bill’s $150 billion clean electricity measure—the Clean Electricity Performance Program—will “protect and extend the use of coal and natural gas.” The senator has made it clear that he does not support legislation that would eliminate the burning of those fossil fuels — particularly coal and natural gas.

Conclusion

Politics can be ego-driven as well as cash-driven: Many politicians after all, just want to guard their piece of the congressional sandbox and yelp whenever that territory may appear threatened. But money certainly talks in Washington, and the kind coming to Joe Manchin from the fossil fuel industry appears to be screaming out against a progressive and meaningful climate policy.

References

https://newrepublic.com/article/163723/joe-manchin-vote-fossil-fuel

 

Plastic Waste, A Global Concern

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Plastic Waste, A Global Concern

Plastic pollution is a world catastrophe

Plastic Waste, A Global Concern

By William Jones

What is Plastic?

Plastic is a synthetic organic polymer made from petroleum.  Plastic is ideally suited for a wide variety of applications. Packaging, building and construction, household and sports equipment, vehicles, electronics, and agriculture; the uses are endless. It is cheap, lightweight, strong and malleable. Over 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year. Half of plastic products are designed for single-use; such as shopping bags, cups, and straws. While plastic has many valuable uses, we have become addicted to single-use or disposable plastic — with severe environmental consequences.

Oil, Natural Gas and Coal

More than 99% of plastics are produced from chemicals derived from oil, natural gas, and coal — all of which are dirty, non-renewable resources. If current trends continue, by 2050 the plastic industry could account for 20% of the world’s total oil consumption.

Worrying Trends

We produce about 300 million tonnes (metric tons) of plastic waste each year. That’s nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. We’re seeing  worrying trends. Since the 1950s, the rate of plastic production has grown faster than that of any other material. We’ve also seen a shift away from the production of durable plastic, and towards plastics that are meant to be thrown away after a single use. These single-use plastic products are everywhere. For many of us, they’ve become integral to our daily lives.

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The Vanishing Amazon Rainforest

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The Vanishing Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon rainforest is in peril. Experts predict there will be no rainforest in 30 years.

The Vanishing Amazon Rainforest 

The clock is ticking. The emergency real. Experts believe that in 30 years the Amazon rainforest will likely be, just a memory. . .

By Megan Wallin 

Ongoing Threat

The Amazon rainforest has been under threat for decades. Despite its indisputable ecological value and unspeakable beauty we are at risk of losing this incredible natural resource.  Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, has vowed to protect the forest and reduce harmful emissions. His words don’t match his actions. Unparalleled development continues, transforming forest into farmland or deforested deserts. The entire ecosystem has been disrupted, all for the price of temporary, but immediate profit.

A Ravaged Landscape

According to Reuters, Brazil’s ecological losses have increased 1.8 percent just during 2020, losing roughly 1,062 square kilometers of forest to greed and corruption. But logging isn’t the only issue to blame in this scenario. Farmland conversion, wildfires, droughts and pollution have ravaged the land. More than one billion acres of rainforest have been transformed into public, government or miscellaneous use since the year 1990.

Losing Value

The worth of an intact and thriving Amazon rainforest amounts to approximately a whopping $8.2 billion , but the forest is losing its value both economically and environmentally.  This world wonder spreads across Brazil, Peru, Columbia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. The Amazon rainforest extends over millions of miles, and provides a safe habitat for thousands of tropical animals. Furthermore, it is home to at least 500 tribal communities.

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