Hello friends. There’s a lot going on this fall, especially in the US as we approach a presidential election, but let’s make a pact to keep talking about climate change. Cite the facts. Refute disinformation. Don’t let your friends and family feel isolated and alone in their grief or confusion; encourage them to talk too.
For one reason, as Amy Westervelt points out, Conspiracies Thrive in a Crisis (Drilled, October 8, 2024)
Relatedly, Drilled has been on fire these last few months, bringing incisive commentary on when and how we talk about climate: De-fund the Tone Police (Drilled, October 14, 2024)
And as Emily Atkin notes, talking about climate change works. Keep yelling about climate change (HEATED, October 8, 2024)
Helene and Milton
In September, Hurricane Helene broke several records: strongest hurricane to ever strike the Big Bend region of Florida, the deadliest Atlantic hurricane since Maria (2017), and the deadliest to strike the US mainland since Katrina (2005). States far inland experienced heavy rainfall, leading to catastrophic flooding and power outages.
Just a few weeks later in October, warm ocean water rapidly intensified Hurricane Milton, which landed in Florida as a Category 5 storm spawning deadly tornados.
How Hurricane Helene produced 700+ mm of rain in three days (The Weather Network, September 27, 2024)
Death toll from Hurricane Helene mounts as aftermath assessment begins (NPR, September 28, 2024)
What Helene could signal about the rest of hurricane season, and beyond (The Washington Post, September 28, 2024)
A tiny town just got slammed by Helene. It could massively disrupt the tech industry (NPR, October 1, 2024)
How fossil fuels mutated Milton (HEATED, October 9, 2024)
Politicize Hurricane Milton, Please (The New Republic, October 9, 2024)
More climate impacts
Climate scientists troubled by damage from floods ravaging central Europe (The Guardian, September 16, 2024)
Scientists have said that we can cool the planet back down. Now they’re not sure it will be so easy. (Washington Post [gift link], October 9, 2024)
No Safe Haven (The Assembly, March 8, 2024)
Politics and policy
Biden Requires Lead Drinking-Water Pipes to be Replaced Nationwide (New York Times [gift link], October 8, 2024)
Fossil fuel industry influence in higher education: A review and a research agenda (WIREs Climate Change, September 5, 2024)
Revealed: how the fossil fuel industry helps spread anti-protest laws across the US (The Guardian, September 26, 2024)
How to Think About Politics Without Wanting to Kill Yourself (How Things Work, September 16, 2024)
The enemies are those politicians who are legitimately opposed to your policy goals. The cowards are those politicians who may agree with your policy goals, but will sell you out if they must in order to protect their own interests. Embrace the idea that we are simply pushing to elect the cowards, rather than the enemies. Why? Because the true work of political action is not to identify idealized superheroes to run for office. It is, instead, to create the conditions in the world that make it safe for the cowards to vote the right way.
Trash
Is plastic recycling beyond fixing? Here’s why California thinks so. (Washington Post [gift link], September 24, 2024)
Top-rated UK water firms ‘dumped 1,374 illegal spills into rivers’ (The Guardian, October 13, 2024)
AI and the environment
Data center emissions probably 662% higher than big tech claims. Can it keep up the ruse? (The Guardian, September 15, 2024)
Sorry, AI won’t “fix” climate change (MIT Technology Review, September 28, 2024)
Climate and the art world
How the Climate Museum Hopes Art Will Spur Action (Time, September 26, 2024)
I tell you what. I wasn’t on board with the soup-throwing activists when they first started showing up in the news. I’ve worked at many an art museum and gallery, and I have too much respect for both climate activism and museum labor to cross those streams.
But seeing the severe ruling to make an example of these kids, just after the hottest summer in history and deadly tropical storms…. I’m coming around. Throw the soup. Make a scene. So far, no precious artworks have been lost. The same cannot be said for precious lives.
Just Stop Oil activists throw soup at Van Gogh’s Sunflowers after fellow protesters jailed (Guardian, September 27, 2024)
Not new, but shared in the context of the recent ruling:
What’s everyone got against throwing soup? (Understanding Social Change, October 15, 2022)
Philly’s Van Gogh painting safe after climate activists throw tomato soup on it in London (Philadelphia Inquirer, September 27, 2024)
Glimmers of good things
From the author of Road Ecology, a book I enjoyed:
What Denali’s road closure means for its wildlife (High Country News, September 1, 2024)
Salmon swim freely in the Klamath River for 1st time in a century after dams removed (AP News, October 7, 2024)
Sara Davis 