Doug Emhoff, U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Jill Biden and President-elect Joe Biden wave as they arrive on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol for the inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. Joe Raedle / Getty Images
By John R. Platt
The period of the 45th presidency will go down as dark days for the United States — not just for the violent insurgency and impeachment that capped off Donald Trump's four years in office, but for every regressive action that came before.
<p>It's been said that Trump was the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-worst-president-environment-2645034831.html" target="_self">worst environmental president in history</a>, and that's easy to see from his administration's record. They rolled back decades of environmental progress by slashing protective regulations, strangled the agencies tasked with enforcing the regulations that remained, pushed corporate agendas damaging to wildlife, human health and the climate, and stoked the flames of right-wing extremists — including people whose radical agendas often attack public-land protections or climate science.</p><p>That barely covers it all, of course. It would take an entire book — a whole library — to fully convey the environmental damage done under Trump.</p>
<p>And now it's up to a new administration — and the work of a lot of people on top of it — to undo the damage and hopefully make up for four lost years of potential progress.</p><p>President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, together with the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, have a tough task ahead of them.</p><p>Make that many tough tasks. They'll need to rebuild the ranks of government workforces while reinforcing the trust in government and the trust in America on the world stage. They'll need to pass and restore regulations that don't just return us to the status quo but radically improve on it — taking the world forward at a time when the effects of climate change and the extinction crisis continue to worsen. 2020 tied for the <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/08012021/2020-earth-hottest-year-temperatures/" target="_blank">hottest year on record</a>, and Trump <a href="https://earther.gizmodo.com/trump-has-listed-the-fewest-endangered-species-of-any-p-1845854952" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">added fewer species</a> to the Endangered Species Act than any other president while <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/08/12/750479370/trump-administration-makes-major-changes-to-protections-for-endangered-species" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">slashing protections</a> for those already on the list. They'll need to address environmental justice at a time when white supremacy is at its most vocal point in decades and firmly entrenched in some areas of government. They'll need to resist the usual corporate influence that could slow things down along the way.</p>
<p>And they'll need to do it all while helping the country stabilize and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and Trump's botched response to the crisis, not to mention the continued threat from seditious domestic terrorists.</p><p>That's a lot on one plate, but they're already off to a good start. Biden and Harris ran on a strong climate platform and have assembled an experienced climate team. Neither the platform nor the team is perfect — progressives think they can do much better — but they're light years ahead of anything we saw under the previous administration.</p><p>And of course, now that the Democrats have won the Senate, Biden's cabinet picks are more likely to be confirmed and the country will no longer face the obstruction ever-present under the majority leadership of Mitch McConnell.</p>
<p>But at the same time, Republicans have risen to power in cities and state legislatures around the country, and many of them are <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/14/us/politics/trump-republicans.html" target="_blank">still fueled by MAGA Trumpism</a> and unhinged conspiracy theories. The right-wing media, meanwhile, continue to shape and mold millions with their unique brand of misinformation and discord. Both trends will present a barrier to progress at every level.</p><p>So what's the agenda for moving forward under the Biden-Harris administration? Below, you'll find a series of articles and expert commentaries from <em>The Revelator</em>'s archives addressing key steps the incoming team can take to restore the EPA, protect key species, address the COVID-19 pandemic in a just and climate-focused manner, and more.</p><p>We'll continue to add to these roadmaps as the administration gets its footing, and we invite any insiders and experts to <a href="https://therevelator.org/contact#write-for-us" target="_blank">contribute their own voices</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://therevelator.org/reform-blm-biden/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reform the Bureau of Land Management: Biden Must Succeed Where Obama Failed</a></p><p><a href="https://therevelator.org/climate-new-deal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">For a Path Forward on Climate, Let's Learn From the Original New Deal</a></p><p><a href="https://therevelator.org/gray-wolf-biden-administration/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gray Wolf Recovery and Survival Require Immediate Action by the Biden Administration</a></p><p><a href="https://therevelator.org/restoring-epa-biden/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Biden Can Restore the EPA, But It Will Require Steadfast Effort</a></p><p><a href="https://therevelator.org/biden-restore-rollbacks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">How Biden Can Do More Than Just Restore Trump's Environmental Rollbacks</a></p><p><a href="https://therevelator.org/biden-climate-plan-trent/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Biden-Harris Climate Plan: 'Not Trump' Is Not Enough</a></p><p><a href="https://therevelator.org/biden-leadership-wildlife-crime/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Biden Must Take a Leadership Role Against Wildlife Crime</a></p><p><a href="https://therevelator.org/multisolving-covid-recovery/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Multisolving Our Way to COVID-19 Economic Recovery</a></p><p><a href="https://therevelator.org/biden-climate-farber/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Biden Can Leverage Larger Trends to Make Climate Progress</a></p><p><em>And here's a report from our parent organization, the Center for Biological Diversity:</em></p><p><a href="https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/report-50-critical-environmental-reforms-president-biden-can-enact-without-congress-2020-12-03/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">50 Critical Environmental Reforms President Biden Can Enact Without Congress</a></p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://therevelator.org/rebuilding-years/" target="_blank">The Revelator</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Workers install solar panels on a house near downtown Oakland, California. Grid Alternatives
By Galen Barbose, Eric O'Shaughnessy and Ryan Wiser
Until recently, rooftop solar panels were a clean energy technology that only wealthy Americans could afford. But prices have dropped, thanks mostly to falling costs for hardware, as well as price declines for installation and other "soft" costs.
<p>Today hundreds of thousands of middle-class households across the U.S. are turning to <a href="https://emp.lbl.gov/tracking-the-sun" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">solar power</a>. But households with incomes below the median for their areas remain less likely to go solar. These low- and moderate-income households face several roadblocks to solar adoption, including cash constraints, low rates of home ownership and language barriers.</p><p>Our <a href="https://emp.lbl.gov/publications/income-trends-among-us-residential" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">team of researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a> examined how various policies and business models could affect the likelihood of people at all income levels adopting solar. In a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-020-00724-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">recently published study</a>, we analyzed five common solar policies and business models to see whether they attracted lower-income households.</p><p>We found that three scenarios did: offering financial incentives to low- and moderate-income households; leasing solar panels to homeowners; and lending money to buy panels, with the loan repaid on property tax bills. All of these approaches resulted in people at a wider range of income levels trying solar energy.</p>
<h2>Solar Power for Everyone</h2><p>For over a decade our team at the Berkeley lab's <a href="https://emp.lbl.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Electricity Markets and Policy group</a> has kept tabs on trends in the rooftop solar market through our annual report, "<a href="https://emp.lbl.gov/tracking-the-sun" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tracking the Sun</a>." It documents how prices have fallen, and the number of installations has risen in U.S. solar markets.</p><p>Over the past decade rooftop solar power has grown significantly in the U.S., spreading beyond initial hot spots in California and Hawaii to states such as <a href="https://www.seia.org/research-resources/top-10-solar-states-0" target="_blank">North Carolina, Florida and New Jersey</a>. The industry projects that rapid growth will continue for the foreseeable future.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUwMTU2OS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNzgyMTgyMH0.sNBN6gsNwzI9biagSAiT0Ey04xGoJb0dvnzsueOD0lc/img.png?width=980" id="57aac" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5698a7f42da3ecf5785eada2c33ac8b9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1276" data-height="644" />
Chart: The Conversation, CC BY-ND. Source: Barbose et al., 2020. Get the data
<p>More recently our researchers have combined this tracking report with data on household-level demographics and income of solar adopters, covering more than 70% of the U.S. residential solar market. Among the research products we've created is an <a href="https://solardemographics.lbl.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">online interactive tool</a> that shows the demographic characteristics of solar adoption <a href="https://emp.lbl.gov/projects/solar-demographics-trends-and-analysis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">down to the county level</a>.</p><p>Thanks to these price and growth trends, an increasing number of state and local governments, utilities and businesses want to help lower-income customers go solar. They believe solar will cut energy bills, reduce money spent on bill payment programs, avoid pollution and create green jobs.</p><p>So far, 20 states are offering 38 programs to help lower-income customers go solar. California, the largest, has budgeted over US$1 billion for such programs. A number of utilities and solar developers, like <a href="https://www.posigen.com/" target="_blank">Posigen</a> and <a href="https://gridalternatives.org/" target="_blank">GRID Alternatives</a>, are also developing business models that work for all customers. These initiatives leverage state and federal incentives to deliver free or very low-cost solar to eligible households.</p>
<div id="1fd16" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="81c311df8ff44e84e6820ee7f5f86489"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1318076805048393728" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Donnel Baird's company makes energy-saving updates to buildings almost exclusively in low-income areas. Cutting the… https://t.co/5uWGSVnu9m</div> — NPR (@NPR)<a href="https://twitter.com/NPR/statuses/1318076805048393728">1603088973.0</a></blockquote></div>
<h2>Reducing Upfront Costs</h2><p>In our study we evaluated five policies and business models to see which ones helped low- and moderate-income households go solar:</p><ul><li>Financial incentives targeted at low- and moderate-income households, usually rebates or other incentives to reduce upfront costs.</li><li>Leasing rooftop solar systems, which reduces upfront costs.</li><li>Property Assessed Clean Energy financing, or PACE, which allows customers to finance energy improvements through their property tax payments. Currently, residential PACE is available only in California, Florida and Missouri.</li><li>Financial incentives such as rebates offered to customers of any income level.</li><li>"Solarize" campaigns, in which customers band together in a group purchase to get a good price.</li></ul><p>The study includes data on more than 1 million residential rooftop photovoltaic systems installed on single-family homes in 18 states from 2010 to 2018. We compared modeled household-level income estimates for solar adopters with area median household incomes from U.S. Census data.</p><p>We found that three of the interventions – targeted incentives, leasing and PACE – effectively increased adoption equity. These approaches are boosting sales to low-income customers in existing markets and helping solar companies move into new markets, such as low-income areas where solar sales have been weak or absent.</p><p>Policies that don't address the needs and constraints of low-income households, like the federal income tax credit, have not had much effect on equity. And solarize campaigns are rarely pitched to low-income buyers.</p>
<h2>An Untapped Customer Base</h2><p>When solar expands into new markets and neighborhoods, it can have a spillover impact. If a system is installed in a neighborhood that had no solar before, neighbors who see it will be more likely to adopt it themselves. Moving into new markets may have greater potential effects on low-income adoption rates than reaching lower-income households in existing markets.</p><p>Expanding sales to low- and moderate-income households can also tap a larger base of potential customers. The U.S. National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) found in a study that <a href="https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy18osti/70901.pdf" target="_blank">42% of rooftops</a> where solar power could work are on low- and moderate-income housing.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUwMTU3My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMjE4OTAyNX0.UVbQEoxvTLZCawz6SI2FdRpydlLelnwinJ78iac6p9E/img.jpg?width=980" id="cc3d2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bfc6f221c67576352dc4aae047667ed5" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="778" />
A 2018 study estimates that installing rooftop solar systems on low- and moderate-income housing could provide up to 42% of all rooftop technical potential in the residential sector and improve energy affordability in low-income communities. NREL
<p>As the solar market grows, decisions to install solar systems are increasingly driven by the prospect of saving money, rather than strictly by green values or buyers' interest in new technologies. A survey led by NREL found that roughly half of people who decided to install solar in California, New Jersey, New York and Arizona in 2014 to 2016 <a href="https://www.nrel.gov/solar/seeds/2014-2016-study.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">identified cost savings as a primary factor in their decision to adopt solar</a>.</p><p>For low- and moderate-income households, the financial benefits of solar power can make a big difference. Many lower-income households carry a large energy burden, meaning that energy and utility costs consume a large share of their income. Across the U.S., low-income households <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-020-0582-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spend about three times more of their income on energy costs</a> than other households. Solar power can reduce those energy burdens by providing on-site power at a lower cost than grid electricity.</p><p>Making homes more energy efficient is an established strategy for cutting energy bills, but there's growing interest in having solar play a role. Deploying solar power for low- and moderate-income households can be a way to fulfill policy and social goals like creating jobs and improving the environment.</p><p><em>The study described in this article was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Energy Technologies Office.</em></p>
<p>
<em>Galen Barbose is a research scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.<br/>
</em><em>Eric O'Shaughnessy is a research consultant at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.<br/>
</em><em>Ryan Wiser is a senior scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.</em>
</p><p>
<em>Disclosure statements: Eric O'Shaughnessy is a renewable energy research analyst at Clean Kilowatts, LLC. Ryan Wiser is a board member of the Clean Energy States Alliance. </em><em>Galen Barbose does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</em>
</p><p>
<em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/cheaper-solar-power-means-low-income-families-can-also-benefit-with-the-right-kind-of-help-151907" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
</p><script async="async" data-counter="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/151907/count?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" id="theconversation_tracker_hook" src="https://theconversation.com/javascripts/lib/content_tracker_hook.js" type="text/javascript"></script>From Your Site Articles
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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><em><br></em>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" data-width="710" data-height="959" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" data-width="800" data-height="800" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
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Water Protectors Arrested in Minnesota After Chaining Themselves Inside Enbridge Line 3 Pipe
15 January
Energy
Environmental activist Winona LaDuke (C) and water protectors stand in front of the construction site for the Line 3 oil pipeline near Palisade, Minnesota, on Jan. 9, 2021. Kerem Yucel / AFP via Getty Images
By Jessica Corbett
Water protectors were arrested Thursday after halting construction at a Minnesota worksite for Enbridge's Line 3 project by locking themselves together inside a pipe segment.
<p>"After moving to Minnesota to attend college and study environmental science, I was excited to be in a place where people valued protecting the Earth and finding a viable future. What I found, however, was a state that had formed 'ambitious' climate goals yet endorsed one of the dirtiest fossil fuels, tar sands oil," water protector Abby Hornberger said in a statement. "I realized that Indigenous ways of knowing and practicing harmony with the environment are continuously ignored."</p><p>KFGO <a href="https://kfgo.com/2021/01/14/2-arrested-during-latest-line-3-protest/" target="_blank">reports</a> that Cass County Sheriff Tom Burch said two protesters who were taken into custody on Thursday now face charges of trespassing and obstructing.</p>
<p>Hornberger explained that "the Line 3 pipeline far outweighs all clean energy initiatives and progress being made in renewable energies. Line 3 will destroy Minnesota's essential clean water resources for future generations and will ultimately drive us into climate doom. Education and spreading awareness is no longer enough to create meaningful change for me."</p><p>"Enbridge's last-ditch effort to build fossil fuel infrastructure is killing people and the planet. I refuse to be complicit in settler colonialist practices, and feel that I have to put my body on the line to protect Indigenous communities' sovereignty and all of our futures," Hornberger added. "This is not just an issue relevant to some, it affects each of us on a deeper level that goes beyond our daily lives. It determines if we will have a livable future."</p>
<div id="5204b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4238296ced019235c5ebedb5c4188673"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1349769464896745473" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Water Protectors Lock Down Inside Line 3 Pipeline to #StopLine3
(Backus, MN) Thursday morn… https://t.co/NWH4lBcyJY</div> — giniw collective (@giniw collective)<a href="https://twitter.com/GiniwCollective/statuses/1349769464896745473">1610645092.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Indigenous and environmental activists have long opposed the Canadian company's efforts to <a href="https://www.enbridge.com/projects-and-infrastructure/public-awareness/minnesota-projects/line-3-replacement-project" target="_blank">replace</a> an aging oil pipeline with a larger one running from Alberta, through North Dakota and Minnesota, to Wisconsin — noting Enbridge's <a href="https://www.stopline3.org/resources" target="_blank">track record on spills</a> and that cultural maps <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2021/01/14/water-protectors-lock-down-inside-line-3-pipeline?cd-origin=rss" target="_blank">indicate</a> "numerous sacred and significant sites lie in the path of the Line 3 project."</p><p>Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/11/12/nightmarish-indigenous-and-climate-leaders-outraged-over-minnesota-permits-line-3" target="_blank">has come under fire</a> from Indigenous and climate leaders in recent months as the state has approved key permits that Enbridge needs to complete the new Line 3, especially given the Democratic governor <a href="https://twitter.com/govtimwalz/status/1095374006071504896?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said publicly</a> in February of 2019 that projects like this one "don't just need a building permit to go forward, they also need a social permit."</p><p>As some water protectors on Thursday protested inside a pipe segment a few miles from a man camp in Backus, "dozens more held space," <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2021/01/14/water-protectors-lock-down-inside-line-3-pipeline?cd-origin=rss" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to</a> the Giniw Collective. The group also pointed out that "Enbridge is working 24 hours per day at several worksites, as a pending injunction to halt work while tribally led lawsuits are heard has yet to be decided."</p>
<p>Water protector Andrew Lee said that he participated in the action against Line 3 on Thursday "to protect the treaties that my ancestors failed to uphold."</p><p>"I've learned over the course of this year that Tim Walz isn't going to protect us, the government of Minnesota isn't going to protect us, and the federal government isn't going to protect us," Lee continued. "I believe it is my duty, as a colonizer and as a person with the privilege, to do so, to put my body on the line to stop the Enbridge Corporation from building this pipeline."</p><p>"It breaks my heart and enrages me to see how these people are desecrating the Earth and the lengths they will go to leech every last dollar they can from its surface," they said. "But for as much as I'm here in anger and fear, I'm also here in love."</p>
<p>Thursday's action came after eight people were arrested on Saturday, when <a href="https://www.stopline3.org/news/january092021" target="_blank">scores</a> of water protectors and Anishinaabe jingle dress dancers gathered at the Mississippi River, then walked onto a Line 3 worksite. <a href="https://www.stopline3.org/news/january092021" target="_blank">According to</a> a statement from organizers:</p><blockquote>After praying and sharing a healing jingle dance, water protectors went to Haypoint, Minnesota, where Enbridge is actively boring under Highway 169 on its way to the Willow and Mississippi Rivers.<br>Construction stopped as water protectors held space and documented <a href="https://fb.watch/2YA1x0szE0/" target="_blank">irregularities</a> in the pipe being put into the ground. Nearly 30 police squad cars from multiple counties and the Department of Natural Resources were onsite.</blockquote>
<p>The statement, which confirmed the eight arrests, also said that "one arresting officer in a Cass County uniform without a badge refused to put on a face mask and grinned at the crowd as he held a zip-tied water protector. Enbridge's worksites and man camps have quickly become hotspots for Covid-19 in Aitkin County."</p><p>While critics of Line 3 and similar projects have long raised health and safety concerns — including about the <a href="https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/native-american-and-women-s-organizations-request-un-help-on-sexual-violence-_srxHIWjqEmyrmz9OPMmZw" target="_blank">well-documented connection</a> between man camps and the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women — the pandemic, which has hit Indigenous communities hard, has further fueled opposition.</p><p>"We saw Minnesota's police officers protecting a Canadian tar sands pipeline being built by mostly out-of-state workers, for sale on foreign market," said Tara Houska, founder of Giniw Collective. "We need good-paying jobs up north that don't require us to destroy our environment. Where is the investment in the north land? Where is the upholding of treaty rights? Where is the Walz administration on this pandemic pipeline?"</p>
<div id="94ce5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="384e44bc9a6701e11c25627380232d6f"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1347984613700984833" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">We are here to protect the water. Hundreds of us today at the Rally for the Rivers and more every day. We will… https://t.co/ww5HOuF6ZI</div> — MN350 (@MN350)<a href="https://twitter.com/MN_350/statuses/1347984613700984833">1610219550.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Activists are <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/15/biden-urged-stand-against-line-3-water-protectors-battle-dirty-tar-sands-pipeline" target="_blank">calling on</a> President-elect Joe Biden to stand up for those "on the frontlines of fossil fuel racism and the climate crisis" by stopping Line 3. On Thursday, more than 75 Indigenous women leaders <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/14/over-75-indigenous-women-urge-biden-stop-climate-wrecking-pipelines-and-respect" target="_blank">wrote</a> to the next president, urging him to block Line 3 and two other projects that "pose grave threats to Indigenous rights, cultural survival, sacred water and land, the global climate, and the public health crises within our communities, which have been greatly exacerbated by Covid-19."</p><p>As Houska, Couchiching First Nation Anishinaabe and a signatory to the letter, put it: "The Biden administration can uphold their climate justice claims by acting to stop Line 3, stop Keystone XL, and stop Dakota Access Pipeline, now."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/14/arrests-minnesota-after-water-protectors-chain-themselves-inside-pipe-section-halt" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em><br/></p>From Your Site Articles
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Trending
A coalition of climate, Indigenous and racial justice groups gathered at Columbus Circle to kick off Climate Week with the Climate Justice Through Racial Justice march on Sept. 20, 2020. Erik McGregor / LightRocket via Getty Images
Environmental groups and the foundations that fund them made incremental, if mixed, progress toward diversifying their staff and leadership in 2020 but remain overwhelmingly white, according to a report issued by Green 2.0 Wednesday.
<p>The results are based on self-reported data from 37 of the country's top 40 environmental NGOs and just 11 of the top 40 foundations and grant providers. Since Green 2.0's first report in 2017, on average, the groups have increased their people of color on staff from 56 to 62 in 2020; on senior staffs increased from four people of color to five; and on boards, averaged four people of color, up from three.</p>
<p>Green2.0's executive director, Andrés Jimenez, commended the improvements, but said the changes were far from adequate in the context of the movement's history. The historic and present effects of redlining and other systems of (environmental) racism disproportionately burden communities of color with pollution. </p>
<p>The environmental movement remains predominantly white, however, especially in its leadership and funding — an inequity that has caused the movement to fail to account for and react to the harms caused by systemic racism. </p><p>"The survival of the environmental movement is going to be dependent on the community participation and leadership of communities of color and young people," said Rep. Raúl Grijalva, chair of the House Natural Resources Committee. "It can't be cloistered and it can't be selective anymore." </p><p>Jimenez also chastised the failure of so many foundations and grant providers to provide data for the survey even though some of them made public statements in the wake of the nationwide protests following the killing of George Floyd this past summer.</p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/numbers-don-t-lie-green-movement-remains-overwhelmingly-white-report-n1253972?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106540840&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--vnu7e70huofRhkD5SqqC1zZXsM_Gqe4_lxOiNbi0998WihJMmXHfm4KU0fDl9ef8gaywGga25hF_phlpczlubyu2kVw&utm_content=106540840&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">NBC News</a>:</p><blockquote>President-elect Joe Biden has made issues of climate change and diversity a pillar of his incoming administration. Environmental groups said he signaled the importance of inclusion with the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/biden-selects-michael-regan-north-carolina-environmental-chief-head-epa-n1251598" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">selection of Michael Regan</a>, who is Black, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, and <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/native-americans-rep-haaland-s-nomination-interior-secretary-signals-new-n1251727" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deb Haaland</a>, a Native American member of Congress from New Mexico, as his interior secretary.</blockquote>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong><br/></p><p><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/numbers-don-t-lie-green-movement-remains-overwhelmingly-white-report-n1253972?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106540840&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--vnu7e70huofRhkD5SqqC1zZXsM_Gqe4_lxOiNbi0998WihJMmXHfm4KU0fDl9ef8gaywGga25hF_phlpczlubyu2kVw&utm_content=106540840&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NBC</a>, <a href="https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/534097-the-results-are-in-how-diverse-is-the-mainstream?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106540840&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--rG_mkQDKsNzxlbB2w24DxzhC_nj42zTZ6upg7snIJt_G_E6QmJlpLZ98rxsBTV80agXFRhT07crK14Ul7qsR99xY8Xg&utm_content=106540840&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Hill</a>, <a href="https://login.politicopro.com/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fsubscriber.politicopro.com%2Farticle%2F2021%2F01%2Fgreen-groups-diversity-push-stalled-in-2020-3986324%3Futm_campaign%3DHot%2520News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106540840&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8HJbELIbjwQQgPY0-rFXWqnF5SfDm_XjBOUax4berNbeOzsAXUsxOcrPCjd8X1WoyfFMEAzVUhnMnWWHq-sYUB752Xfw&utm_content=106540840&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Politico Pro</a>, <a href="https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021/01/environmental-organizations-remain-overwhelmingly-white/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=106540840&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8j2MvTp8OOCpljo9lBRbdf3EGYShP_DJcpiGENxaWAPOk7U0AJuv014iml4rLncK0Nhfec_k7tbliIg3PjjaI5ZTVlVA&utm_content=106540840&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Yale Climate Connections</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p>
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Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder Among Officials to Be Charged in Flint Water Crisis
13 January
Politics
Former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is seen testifying on Flint, Michigan's tainted water scandal on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, March 17, 2016. Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty Images
Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and other state officials face new charges over the Flint water crisis, The Associated Press reported on Tuesday.
<p>Snyder governed Michigan in 2014, when a state-appointed special manager of Flint, Michigan, switched the majority Black city's water supply to the Flint River. The river's highly corrosive water was not treated, enabling it to leach <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/lead" target="_self">lead</a> from aging pipes that contaminated the water system. Bacteria in the water was also blamed for an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that sickened at least 90 and killed 12.</p><p>"The very fact that people are being held accountable is an amazing feat," LeeAnne Walters, a Flint mother of four who is credited with exposing the contamination, told The Associated Press. "But when people's lives have been lost and children have been severely hurt, it doesn't seem like enough."</p><p>Walters wanted more details about the charges, which are so far unclear. The Associated Press learned from two people with knowledge of the investigation that the state attorney general's office had informed defense lawyers about pending charges and court appointments.</p><p>A source told <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2021/01/12/flint-water-probe-snyder-charges/6642737002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Detroit News</a> Tuesday that Snyder, top aide Rich Baird and former health director Nick Lyon would face criminal charges. Former Flint public works director Howard Croft will likely be charged as well, his lawyer confirmed. Indictments of up to 10 people could be announced as soon as Thursday. But the attorney general's office has said it is not ready to release more information.</p>
<p>"It's an ongoing investigation," Courtney Covington, the attorney general's office spokeswoman, told The Detroit News. "The team is working diligently, though and we do hope to have an announcement on the status of that investigation soon."</p><p>The new charges would be part of an investigation into the Flint water crisis instigated by prosecutors working for Attorney General Dana Nessel. A previous investigation launched by former Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette had already charged Lyon, among others, but Nessel's office <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/flint-water-crisis-criminal-charges-2638815965.html" target="_self">decided to drop</a> all previous charges in 2019 and start over, arguing that there were major problems with the initial investigation.</p><p>Snyder's lawyer spoke out against any potential charges, arguing they were politically motivated.</p><p>"It is outrageous to think any criminal charges would be filed against Gov. Snyder. Any charges would be meritless," attorney Brian Lennon said in a written statement reported by <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/13/us/michigan-former-governor-snyder-flint-water-charges/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a>. "Rather than following the evidence to find the truth, the Office of Special Counsel appears to be targeting former Gov. Snyder in a political escapade."</p>
<p>However, there is already some evidence Snyder knew more about the crisis than he claimed. In mid-January 2016, he told reporters he had just learned about the Legionnaires' outbreak, The Associated Press reported. But his urban affairs adviser Harvey Hollins later told a judge that Snyder had been informed on Christmas Eve 2015.</p><p>Flint politicians and activists spoke out in favor of Snyder's conviction.</p><p>"It's just wonderful. It's finally here. It's hitting me right now," former Flint Mayor Karen Weaver told The Detroit News. "It's about time. All evidence pointed to him that he knew, that he knew what was going on. It was a cover-up for 18 long months that something was going on with Flint and the water."</p><p>The criminal investigation is separate from a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/flint-michigan-water-crisis-settlement-2647038028.html" target="_self">$600 million settlement</a> that the state of Michigan reached with victims in August 2020.</p><p>In the meantime, Flint is still repairing its infrastructure. Current Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley told the<a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2021/01/12/former-michigan-governor-charges-flint-water-crisis/6644125002/https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2021/01/12/former-michigan-governor-charges-flint-water-crisis/6644125002/" target="_blank"> Detroit Free Press </a>that a project to replace all lead home service lines was almost finished, with less than 500 left to be excavated.</p><p>"Our community has been through a tragedy it never should have faced, but Flint is strong and we will continue moving forward," Neeley told the Detroit Free Press.</p>
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Environmental activist Sage Lenier is seen teaching her class at UC Berkeley. Irene Yi
By Sage Lenier
Sage Lenier, an environmental activist and graduate from UC Berkeley, created a wildly popular course at her university dedicated to sustainable solutions and circular systems thinking against the broader backdrop of environmental justice. In Spring 2020, the course enrolled more than 300 students eager to learn how they can drive the shift toward a more ethical and sustainable society. The World Economic Forum sat down with Sage for a quick Q&A.
<p><em><br/></em></p>
<h3>What Drove You to Start Teaching Zero Waste?</h3><p>When I started at UC Berkeley, I was excited to be going to a school that had – I'm told – one of the best environmental curriculums in the nation. But I quickly realized that much of the education I was receiving had little real-life application; the material lacked the call-to-action that is really necessary for addressing the ecological crisis.</p><p>That's why I decided to create a course that was solutions-focused and action-based. I started out with the concept of zero waste, but I scaled it up from individual-level action to build a vision for an economy, design system and culture that operate on the premise that natural resources are valuable and limited. I also cover modern food systems, climate change and decarbonization, and green cities, always looking at a global picture of access, equity, and cultural and ecological diversity.</p><p>The approach I take helps students learn how all of these things come together for a vision of a sustainable future. I want them to be excited about the year 2100, rather than terrified.</p><h3>What Are the Biggest Misconceptions About Your Course?</h3><p>Sometimes my course gets misconstrued as a place where I teach students about what they can do to lessen their individual environmental impact. It's not really that at all. I do try to walk my students through the changes that they can make in their own lives, but the course is really about a societal revolution. It's focused on structural change, political advocacy, and community power.</p><p>Two-thirds of my students are not environmental majors, and I try to give everyone something that they can do with their lives and their careers. A business major, after taking the class, might tell me: "I want to spend my career in businesses that fit with the circular economy." Or a biochemistry major might say: "I could operate a green lab." I'm focused on big-picture solutions, all of us coming together to accomplish something through so many different avenues with our different skill sets, as well as how we can make our community a little bit better.</p>
<h3>When We Talk About Climate Change, Sustainability and Equity, Are We Really Talking About the Same Thing?</h3><p>Absolutely, and I think most people are shocked when they start taking my course to learn that I'm not really here to advocate on behalf of trees. Climate change is a social justice issue; it is already exacerbating existing inequalities and will continue to do so.</p><p>I'm first and foremost a human rights activist. I've been passionate about feminism and racial justice from a very young age and have always done my best to educate and engage those around me. I came to environmentalism a few years ago with the realization that there are no human rights on a dead planet - this one movement really has the potential to encapsulate every social issue we have.</p><h3>What Do You Think Needs to Happen to Enable Us to Move to a Circular Economy More Quickly?</h3><p>If we really want to move towards a circular economy, we have to do a lot of direct targeting of the big corporations who already have the infrastructure, financial power and influence in our society. In our activism work, we need to be demanding that these massive companies that actually run our society and have control over our economy and government are accountable to the people.</p>
<h3>College Students Were Heavily Impacted by COVID-19 This Year. What Was That Experience Like for You, as a Student, Instructor and Activist?</h3><p>I'll be honest, I lost a lot this year. I had to give up my dreams of expanding this course to other schools and communities for now, and all of my activism campaigns completely dissolved. After I graduated, I slept on the couch at my grandmother's house for two months. I was very lucky to receive a job offer in July for an environmental nonprofit and be financially stable for the second half of this year, but I've had to fight very hard to get my mental and physical health back from where they went when I thought I was losing everything I'd ever worked for. This year has been transformative in some good ways too, though; I needed to take a step back before I burned out, and I deactivated my social media for six months after a few super viral posts because I wanted to ask myself why I feel qualified to educate people and check my intentions. I'm young, and it's easy to develop an ego and forget what you're really working towards when you start getting media attention.</p><h3>What's Next for You?</h3><p>Right now I'm just feeling very grateful to be employed and still doing important work. <a href="https://tinyurl.com/Zero-Waste-Solutions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Zero Waste USA</a> recently reached out to me about sponsoring my course on their online platform, so I'm very excited to be back to teaching in the new year, and the class is going to be open to everyone! I want to keep going with this curriculum and eventually turn it into a book because I think what I've created is really unique, and it's a lot of the information that the average person really needs. For now, I'm getting back into the swing of things with teaching online and making educational content for Instagram. My teaching assistants, Annie Mitchell and Victoria Bartoszewicz, are still teaching it at Berkeley and after the pandemic I still do want to take it to other colleges, high schools, communities – anywhere that wants it.</p><p>When that eventually comes around, I'll be applying for grants and trying to get the book published. The idea of trying to get funding and hoping I get it and hoping it keeps coming is really scary, but I'm also excited because this is the most important thing that I can do – to continue to educate people and create a better equipped and larger environmental movement. It's a huge risk, but this is all I've ever wanted.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/i-created-a-class-to-teach-zero-waste/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>
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A windmill park in the Oaxaca, Mexico. Stephan de Prouw / Moment / Getty Images
By Tara Lohan
When Shalanda Baker stopped in Oaxaca, Mexico in 2009 to brush up on her Spanish before heading to Colombia, she didn't realize it would be a life-changing event. She'd just left her job at a corporate law firm with the hope of lending her expertise to communities fighting coal mines or other dirty energy projects in South America.
<p>But in Oaxaca she met <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/indigenous-peoples">Indigenous</a> community members fighting a different type of energy project: large-scale wind development.</p><p><span></span>"Their struggles echoed the stories of countless communities around the world affected by oil and gas development: dispossession, displacement, environmental harm, unfair contracts, racism and a litany of concerns about impact to culture and community," she writes in her forthcoming book <em><a href="https://islandpress.org/books/revolutionary-power" target="_blank">Revolutionary Power: An Activist's Guide to the Energy Transition</a></em>.</p><p>And she realized that in the pursuit of <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/">clean energy</a> and climate solutions, we were on course to replicate many of the same injustices of the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels">fossil fue</a>l economy.</p><p>"I knew, in that moment, that this tension — between Indigenous rights and clean energy, between the rush to avert catastrophic climate change and social justice — would form the foundation of my work as an activist and scholar. It would also become my life's work," she writes.</p><p>Baker is <a href="https://www.northeastern.edu/law/faculty/directory/baker-s.html" target="_blank">currently a professor</a> of law, public policy and urban affairs at Northeastern University and cofounder of the <a href="https://iejusa.org/" target="_blank">Initiative for Energy Justice</a>, where she continues to work on making the clean energy transition more just.</p>
<p><em>The Revelator</em> spoke with Baker about why we can't solve our current climate crisis by following the same energy playbook and what it means to put justice concerns first.</p><p><strong>"Energy justice" may be a new term for people. How do you define it?</strong></p><p>I feel like it's helpful to distinguish it from environmental justice as well as climate justice. They're interrelated and, I think, inextricably intertwined.</p><p>Environmental justice is a product of the '80s and '90s, where people began recognizing the harms that Black and Brown communities disproportionately face due to industry, including the energy system. The movement was really aiming to remediate those harms through policy.</p><p>We had seen landmark environmental legislation passed in the 1970s which largely failed to address energy distributional concerns and largely left communities of color to fend for themselves through regular civil rights claims to sort out those burdens. And that actually didn't work out.</p><p>So the environmental justice movement continues and on their shoulders is the climate justice movement, which very much recognizes that island communities and other communities in the Global South, as well as environmental justice communities including in the United States, will be the first and worst impacted by <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-crisis">climate change</a>.</p><p>So they're really working to create policies that respond to that vulnerability.</p><p>But energy justice for me is the most hopeful aspect of this because it's forward looking. To me, it's about dreaming and saying, "What system can we create that not only remediates or helps to remediate some of that environmental harm, but can make us less vulnerable in the face of climate change?"</p><p>Rooftop solar, batteries, things that allow us to bounce back more quickly in the face of climate change — this hopeful terrain of energy policy that is reflective of energy justice principles is where I like to do my work.</p>
<p><strong>You write in your book about how you first got into this work because you worried that we were going to make the same mistakes with clean energy that we made with fossil fuels. How have you seen this play out?</strong></p><p>My first experience witnessing it was Oaxaca, Mexico where I met the Indigenous peoples fighting against "big wind." And there was this moment where I thought, "Oh my gosh, we're doing this the same way." We're relying on the same logic, the same structure, the same financing models. The same entities and corporations are basically just changing hats and changing names to be able to participate in the clean economy.</p><p>They're still relying on extraction, exploitation and getting it done for the lowest cost, which often means massive projects that can really change the shape of communities.</p><p>That's what was happening in Mexico in 2009. It's still very much happening in Oaxaca, which is the windiest place in Mexico. It's also happening in the Yucatan peninsula in a place that I went to in 2016 to do a Fulbright.</p><p>The second time I saw this was in Hawai'i in 2014. At that time Hawai'i was embarking on its own ambitious energy reform project. But it was approached as being about just a technical change — a switching of fuels to renewables. They were basically, again, replicating the inequality baked into the system.</p><p>In Hawai'i folks pay the highest costs for electricity in the country, poverty rates are high and BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and people of color] communities live amidst fossil fuel generation. But BIPOC communities had no real say in shaping the energy future and were structurally excluded from it.</p><p>Moreover, communities were not viewed as stakeholders with an authentic economic interest in the projects that were slated for development. Because of this exclusion, I witnessed a lack of community participation in the overall development process, large-scale renewable energy projects going into BIPOC communities and rural communities without authentic community engagement, and a failure to think creatively about economic benefits (such as ownership) available to communities through clean energy development.</p><p>For me, the more tragic part was that the stakeholders and policymakers didn't see the transition as an opportunity to create social change and to remediate structural inequality.</p><p>This approach mirrored Mexico's wind energy development, and I saw, in Hawai'i, a real missed opportunity to allow communities to design the new energy system in service of their vision and in service of the deeper principles of economic and social justice.</p>
<p><strong>What response do you get when you talk about energy justice now?</strong></p><p>If you had asked me that six months ago, I would have said that it's very hard. No one's listening, it's terrible.</p><p>But since the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the murder of George Floyd, we have seen this sort of awakening, for lack of a better term, with respect to the multiple layers of oppression and inequality that certain communities face.</p><p>We know that communities of color are more likely to be environmental justice communities, breathing in toxic fumes. We know that they're more likely to experience energy burden, paying more of their overall income to meet basic energy needs. And now we know that they're more likely to die from a pandemic and that the likelihood of having the worst effects of COVID relates back to the energy system.</p><p>So now there's an opening, there's an opportunity. Since June there's really been more of a willingness to learn about this — and not in just the typical places, but with policymakers, with folks from departments of energy around the country and attorneys general offices.</p><p><strong>Are there examples of energy justice in action you've seen around the country?</strong></p><p>I think it's still too early to tell.</p><p>Rooftop solar was one way that people could have more control over their energy system and make some economic gains by creating their own energy and selling it back to the grid or offsetting their own use. But that opportunity and policy framework has largely left out a lot of Black and Brown folks.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQzNDEwOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzU3NDgwNn0.KA7s7lZ3GggE68srQDargEsvM_IdcNtnnBNGOJ5sL6Y/img.jpg?width=980" id="87002" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0700b42409b8ee3738ae0b4846cc0aa9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="800" data-height="519" />
Solar PV panels covering the roof of a home in Oahu, Hawaii. Tony Webster / CC BY 2.0
<p>The alternative was a model called community energy. Sometimes it's about communities coming together or a church or another kind of institution in the community saying, "let's create an energy project and we can all share in it."</p><p>But unfortunately, I think we need more research to really know if it's actually benefiting low-income folks and Black and Brown people.</p><p>So the jury is still out for me on how energy justice is manifesting. But I do think there are a couple of policy wins that we've seen.</p><p>One is in New York through the <a href="https://climate.ny.gov/" target="_blank">Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act</a>, which was signed into law about a year ago and was very much a product of grassroots advocacy. A coalition called <a href="https://www.nyrenews.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NY Renews</a> made sure that that law included a carve-out for environmental justice communities [requiring] that 35% of climate investments have to go back to those communities.</p><p>We see similar things in California with <a href="https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/sb535" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Senate Bill 535</a>, which is essentially a redistribution of the benefits of that state's cap and trade policy to so-called "disadvantaged communities."</p><p>So there are wins here and there, but we have to keep fighting.</p>
<p><strong>What needs to change in terms to regulations or financing to help move that fight along?</strong></p><p>There are two pieces of the financial story. One is the utility story. We have massive investor-owned entities that are essentially companies that are regulated to be able to provide power and get a reasonable return on any investments that they make in the infrastructure.</p><p>So as we move toward more distributed resources, there's a pushback by these entities because they want to continue to own all of the assets and they want to continue to be able to get a return on any investments that they make in our electricity infrastructure.</p><p>But in an ideal world, we'll see individuals and communities owning more of their energy assets, and then being able to share them across a grid that may be managed by an investor-owned or publicly owned utility.</p><p>And I think we need regulators to push utilities to behave in the way that we want them to behave.</p><p>We also need to think about how we organize our rate structure. Right now rates are generally regressive and they have higher impacts on the poorest folks.</p><p>The literature around energy burden says that we should be paying around 6% of our household income to meet energy needs. But some households are paying upwards of 40% or even 75%.</p><p>One problem is that low-income folks often live in housing that isn't properly weatherized and energy is lost through holes in the walls or inefficient windows. Our standard programs for weatherization assistance are not reaching the places they need to be reaching.</p><p>I think the other part of this is how we get households access to rooftop solar. One study has shown a huge racial gap between those who have rooftop solar and those who don't.</p><p>That gap is persistent even when you correct for home ownership, even when you correct for income, which indicates that there may be a racial dimension — maybe <em>racism</em> — with respect to why people just aren't getting approached for rooftop solar or why they're not able to put it on their homes.</p><p>We need to understand this problem more.</p>
<p><strong>You write in your book about how the goal for many activists has been "climate first, justice later." But you advocate for justice first. Why?</strong></p><p>Bringing in the voices of folks who've been historically colonized and excluded for hundreds of years is just the morally right thing to do.</p><p>But I think more and more, we're starting to understand that our fates are linked. And we cannot leave behind certain squads of the population in pursuit of our own gains. We have to make sure that they have a voice at the table and are able to bring life to their own vision of what the energy system should look like.</p><p>Or else we'll get kicked by it at the end of the day. We'll be hit by the realization that we've left out this entire segment of the population that can't pay their electricity bills or that now has to move because of climate change. That will ultimately create substantial social costs down the road.</p><p>So for me, it's about making a stronger society.</p><p>I really want ordinary folks — our aunts or uncles, our friends who are not in energy or environmental law and policy — to engage with these ideas and to see the ways in which energy is such an intimate part of our lives.</p><p>I want people to get curious and begin to organize around a just energy future. And to also maybe even get a little upset about the deep injustice that is embedded into not just the fossil fuel system — because that's a story we know — but into this clean energy transition, where we are not only replicating but in some ways exacerbating inequality.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://therevelator.org/energy-justice-baker/" target="_blank">The Revelator</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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A man hangs from the balcony in the Senate Chamber as a mob breaks into the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee / Getty Images
Wednesday's pro-Trump mob attack on the U.S. Capitol brought upon a flurry of responses from elected officials. "We now will be part of history, as such a shameful picture of our country was put out to the world, instigated at the highest level," Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California wrote in a letter to her colleagues, according to The New York Times.
<p>Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the rioters "tried to disrupt our democracy." "They failed," he added, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/06/us/politics/insurrection.html" target="_blank">reported</a>. But the senators were not the only ones to respond.</p><p>"The violent mob that stormed the United States Capitol today, causing senseless loss of life, was there only because of the reckless and anti-democratic actions of Donald Trump," Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp <a href="https://www.edf.org/media/trump-reaped-whirlwind-today-american-democracy-far-stronger-he" target="_blank">wrote in a statement</a>.</p>
<p>"Like the rest of the world, we watched the events at the U.S. Capitol in horror as anti-democratic zealots violently disrupted what should have been a ceremonial start to the peaceful transition of power after a free and fair election," David Yarnold, president and CEO of the National Audubon Society <a href="https://www.audubon.org/news/audubon-history-and-we-will-hold-responsible-elected-officials-who-have-promoted" target="_blank">added</a>.</p><p>The Environmental Defense Fund and National Audobon Society were joined by a number of other environmental and conservation groups across the country to condemn President Donald Trump's incitement of the attack.</p><p>"Trump willfully infects our body politic with a seditious poison whose antidemocratic effects will linger for years," Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group, <a href="https://www.ewg.org/release/ewg-calls-immediate-removal-president-trump-office" target="_blank">wrote in a press release</a>. He called upon principal officers of the executive branch to "immediately invoke the 25th Amendment to remove a demagogue who is manifestly unfit for office."</p>
<p>Greenpeace USA's Executive Director Annie Leonard also called for Trump's removal.</p><p>"Yesterday's white supremacist, anti-democratic attack on representative government was carefully and intentionally coordinated by Trump," Leonard <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/greenpeace-usa-demands-trump-be-removed-from-office/" target="_blank">wrote</a>. "Those responsible must be held accountable."</p><p>Many environmental groups underscored their statements with shared values for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation">conservation</a> and a healthy planet.</p><p>"Everything we stand for, all of the work we do to protect birds and the places they need, is predicated on the rule of law." Yarnold <a href="https://www.audubon.org/news/audubon-history-and-we-will-hold-responsible-elected-officials-who-have-promoted" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wrote</a>. "We believe that those who have committed crimes today should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law — and those who enabled them should be held to account."</p>
<p>Sierra Club's Executive Director Michael Brune <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2021/01/sierra-club-executive-director-michael-brune-s-statement-violent-attack-us" target="_blank">said</a> the two new senators in Georgia will ensure "both chambers of Congress are led by those committed to creating a liveable planet, safe communities, and an inclusive democracy."</p><p>He added, "And now, we must use our power to expel Trump and the Trumpism that is attacking the core values and institutions of our country."</p><p>These statements follow a recent <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/07/environmental-movement-very-white-these-leaders-want-change-that/" target="_blank">reckoning</a> regarding the role of racism in environmentalism. Over the summer, activists called on environmental groups to recognize their roles "in perpetuating systemic racist policies and practices," <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/07/environmental-movement-very-white-these-leaders-want-change-that/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National Geographic reported</a>.</p>
<p>"I need you to understand that our racial inequality crisis is intertwined with our climate crisis. If we don't work on both, we will succeed at neither," Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist and policy expert, wrote in <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/06/03/im-black-climate-scientist-racism-derails-our-efforts-save-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Washington Post</a>.</p><p>"How can we expect black Americans to focus on climate when we are so at risk on our streets, in our communities, and even within our own homes?" She asked.</p><p>Although the responses made by environmental groups may not alone inspire equity in environmental spaces, they may be a stepping stone for environmental organizations to confront issues they haven't in the past.</p><p>"Let's call this what it is: a violent attempted coup by white supremacists hell-bent on suppressing the majority of people in America demanding progress and justice," May Boeve, 350.org's executive director <a href="https://350.org/press-release/us-white-supremacist-terrorism/" target="_blank">wrote</a>. "While militarized police attacked Indigenous water protectors at Standing Rock in 2016, and Black and brown protesters during racial justice uprisings of 2020, this is a racist and despicable contrast as right-wing insurrectionists attempt to revive the Civil War during a global pandemic, the day after the officer who shot Jacob Blake walked free."</p>
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A wind turbine on the tip of Hull, Massachusetts, with the Boston skyline in the distance on Dec. 28, 2005. Tom Herde / The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is reviewing sweeping legislation to reduce the commonwealth's greenhouse gas pollution, spur clean energy jobs, electrify buildings, and protect communities disproportionately harmed by pollution.
<p><br/></p>
<p>The <a href="https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2995?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9KLjgqy8pzY2U2CYNVQIQULbQKL7CfLUGUKnezJgxcf2Q2rd1QIDZh_7gutpKG-EMMAVsFtDcpnUXyaY8Y2ZNeCaR5TA&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">bill</a> passed by 38-2 vote in the State Senate and in the House 145-9, but Baker has not committed to signing the bill and could use a pocket veto to let it die following the conclusion of the legislative session overnight. In addition to mandating net-zero greenhouse gas pollution by 2050, the legislation would also boost offshore <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wind">wind</a> energy and codify the definition of "environmental justice populations." </p>
<p>It would increase fines for <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/pipelines">pipeline</a> safety violations, following a deadly series of explosions in late 2018. The bill's passage follows Gov. Baker's release of plans to eliminate greenhouse gas pollution by 2050, ban the sale of new internal combustion cars by 2035, and electrify heating in 1 million homes.</p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-bills-climate-change-legislation-environment-83e5c30f59ad676eb45a437e614276ad?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6Uxh9lYGafUMkX2MNHNSghxjQGZ6s3IkzedxIjlPlsfp7D4WDL211OYOmd9MEBsILRr_mn3UYZ-g4l38pOdvRQ_Q4TA&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">The Associated Press</a>:</p><blockquote>The focus on pipeline safety follows the series of explosions in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover in September 2018 that killed one person, injured almost two dozen and damaged more than 100 buildings. Federal investigators blamed the explosions on overpressurized gas lines.<br></blockquote><blockquote>The explosions led to a $56 million settlement between Massachusetts and Columbia Gas of Massachusetts and its parent, NiSource last year.</blockquote><blockquote>Newly elected Democratic House Speaker Ron Mariano said the bill sends the message Massachusetts "will empower our environmental justice communities, achieve net zero emissions by 2050, continue to lead on offshore wind, increase equitable access to our clean energy programs, and create pathways to clean energy jobs for underserved and low-income communities."</blockquote>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong><br/></p><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-bills-climate-change-legislation-environment-83e5c30f59ad676eb45a437e614276ad?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6Uxh9lYGafUMkX2MNHNSghxjQGZ6s3IkzedxIjlPlsfp7D4WDL211OYOmd9MEBsILRr_mn3UYZ-g4l38pOdvRQ_Q4TA&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">AP</a>, <a href="https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2021/01/05/stories/1063721767?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--PQepwlFHXxfaJxaL3K0aJre2GRaLDjYJGkSL5Wdt45SE9hH3sYRxTIL2eYcs0lJzHM4wvysho6nbovV6nR_1B2ZIUCA&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">E&E</a>, <a href="https://www.wbur.org/earthwhile/2021/01/05/climate-bill-gas-safety-massachusetts?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--BjjEGbH1BQsAGO3bDGjvdvokNJxJqpTp_0gOL8oXhLGcsZFLosb2duRh62K8wkyKiHvFcAG6FINAQLF1ZDK5l0XjKlQ&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">WBUR</a>, <a href="https://www.masslive.com/politics/2021/01/massachusetts-lawmakers-send-climate-bill-that-would-reduce-states-carbon-footprint-to-gov-charlie-bakers-desk.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_EJqBW5drcdi1xdaXgV74lD2mEi76E59DjoBEgl3epycNQvM1OKOfAEc9-0_3yKt7lH3gJV9N8teoX5ewQL6vollFLRg&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">MassLive</a>, <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/01/04/business/heres-look-winners-losers-states-far-reaching-climate-bill/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_NMxxZ-fHQ6jsCZp00Awb6aMiMWbXC7jlz0xrnAY0Amrd_27zXaI_-YcoQ4J6DRwhGs8Sgin5dgXbrdd2zd62qdJ6ZPw&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Boston Globe</a>; Baker administration plan: <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/532684-massachusetts-to-require-100-percent-of-car-sales-to-be?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6SokBlmv5bkR_VOOxrXyz_QDE620lP0FEvk5yQ4Za6N6w627opWE8Osv818jshcslgoEGRauBIUW8Se5duX-b9lAE7A&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">The Hill</a>, <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a35104768/massachusetts-ban-new-gas-cars-2035/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8pxvLRV4Wzz2qeF-GRhWuBk0lrQqWicE5NkDJrvjOPlf1nX2FV0PNQN7306HxCnK08sjeOS1QrCtoCRn4ZF8LZwXBPnw&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Car & Driver</a><span></span></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
- The Biggest Environmental Wins and Losses of the 2020 Election ... ›
- Bipartisan Climate Bill Highlights Forest Restoration, Conservation ... ›
- Mass. Gov. Vetoes Climate Bill to Eliminate Carbon Emissions ›
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This picture taken on September 16, 2015 shows 13-year-old Indonesian girl Asnimawati working at a palm oil plantation area in Pelalawan, Riau province in Indonesia's Sumatra island. ADEK BERRY / AFP / Getty Images
Tens of thousands of children in Indonesia and Malaysia work to harvest the palm oil that ends up in several beloved Western snacks, including Girl Scout cookies.
<p>An in-depth <a href="https://apnews.com/article/palm-oil-forests-indonesia-scouts-83b01f2789e9489569960da63b2741c4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Associated Press report</a> published recently used U.S. customs records and the most up-to-date information from producers, traders and buyers to link palm oil harvested using child labor to major brands including Nestle, Unilever, Kellogg's, PepsiCo and Ferrero, one of two makers of Girl Scout Cookies. </p>
<p>"I thought Girl Scouts was supposed to be about making the world a better place," 14-year-old Girl Scout Olivia Chaffin told The Associated Press. "But this isn't at all making the world better."</p><p>Palm oil took off as a global commodity around 20 years ago after health warnings about trans fats caused food manufacturers to switch to the extremely cheap oil. It is now in about half of all supermarket products and almost 75 percent of cosmetics, but appears on labels under more than 200 different names.</p><p>Campaigners in the past have raised concerns about the oil's environmental impact. Around <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/palm-oil-environmental-costs-2640781015.html" target="_self">85 percent</a> of the industry is fed by plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/rainforests" target="_self">Rainforests</a> are often cleared to make way for palm oil plantations in the two countries and elsewhere, and this has a devastating impact on many species, including orangutans. A recent study found that 50 percent of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/deforestation" target="_self">deforestation</a> in Borneo between 2005 and 2015 was linked to palm oil.</p><p>Child labor is another major problem for the industry, according to The Associated Press. The UN's International Labor Organization estimates that 1.5 million children aged 10 to 17 work in Indonesia's agricultural industry, of which palm oil is the dominant crop. In Malaysia, a 2018 study found that more than 33,000 children work in the industry, and that almost half of them are between the ages of five and 11.</p>
<p>Children working on these plantations face hazards like exposure to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/chemicals" target="_self">chemicals</a> and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/pesticides" target="_self">pesticides</a>, and many are denied proper healthcare and the chance at an education. In Malaysia, where the industry is mostly staffed by foreign workers, children without proper immigration papers are even more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.</p><p>"For 100 years, families have been stuck in a cycle of poverty and they know nothing else than work on a palm oil plantation," Kartika Manurung, who has published reports on labor issues on Indonesian palm oil plantations, told The Associated Press. "When I … ask the kids what they want to be when they grow up, some of the girls say, 'I want to be the wife of a palm oil worker.'"</p><p>Environmental concerns first motivated then-11-year old Chaffin to investigate the source of the palm oil in the Girl Scout cookies she sold. Chaffin, who had earned a badge for selling more than 600 boxes of cookies, saw that the palm oil listed on the cookie boxes was supposed to come from sustainable sources. However, she looked closer and saw the word "mixed", which meant that sustainable and non-sustainable sources had been combined in the cookie recipe.</p><p>She swore off cookie-selling and launched a petition one year ago urging Girl Scouts to abandon palm oil.</p><p>"Some of my fellow girl scouts and I are boycotting Girl Scout cookie sales until palm oil is replaced with a completely sustainable oil," <a href="https://www.change.org/p/girl-scouts-of-the-usa-remove-palm-oil-from-girl-scout-cookies?recruiter=1073806&use_react=false" target="_blank">she wrote</a>. "Please sign my petition because the rainforest is a very important part of life."</p><p>Chaffin told The Associated Press that learning about the child labor issues made her more motivated to fight for the oil's removal.</p><p>Girl Scout cookies are made by two U.S. bakers: Little Brownie Bakers in Kentucky and ABC Bakers in Virginia. Little Brown Bakers says its palm oil is from "mixed" sources, which means as little as one percent might be sustainable. ABC Bakers puts money towards promoting sustainable production. These bakeries belong to two parent companies, Weston Foods of Canada and Ferrero of Italy. Weston Foods would not provide any details of its supply chain, making it impossible for The Associated Press to determine if child labor was used by any of its suppliers.</p><p>The Girl Scouts did not respond to The Associated Press before the study was published, but did address the article on social media.</p><p>"Child labor has no place in Girl Scout Cookie production. Our investment in the development of our world's youth must not be facilitated by the under-development of some," the organization <a href="https://twitter.com/girlscouts/status/1344351388403429377" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tweeted</a>.</p><p>They <a href="https://twitter.com/girlscouts/status/1344351420666023936" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">said</a> that their bakers and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) should take action if standards were being violated.</p>
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An aerial view of the Palos Verdes Shelf Superfund site on Sept. 22, 2020 in Rancho Palos Verde, CA. Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / Getty Images
By Jessica Corbett
A joint report on Monday highlighted the pressure that President-elect Joe Biden is already facing to deliver on his environmental justice campaign promises—particularly when it comes to the 34 Superfund sites nationwide for which there is no reliable cleanup funding—the largest backlog of "unfunded" sites in 15 years.
<p><br/></p>
<p>The federal Superfund program began with the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-cercla-overview" target="_blank">Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)</a>, passed by Congress in 1980. While cleanup efforts were initially paid for by a trust fund created by taxing the chemical and petroleum industries, lawmakers let the tax expire 25 years ago.</p><p>The new report on the cleanup program from <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/biden-will-inherit-hundreds-toxic-waste-superfund-sites-climate-threats-n1252276" target="_blank"><em>NBC News</em></a>, <em><a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">InsideClimate News</a></em>, and <em><a href="https://www.texasobserver.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Texas Observer</a></em> is the fifth installment of the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/superfund-sites-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">"Super Threats" </a>series about Superfund sites and climate change. The first report, published in late September, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/superfund-sites-climate-change/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">detailed</a> how hundreds of hazardous waste sites across the United States are threatened by hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, which are all exacerbated by a climate crisis that the Trump administration often refused to acknowledge let alone act to address.</p><p>Both reports pointed to a 2019 Government Accountability Office (GAO) analysis which found that 945 Superfund sites are vulnerable to extreme weather events that are intensifying because of human-caused climate change, including hurricanes, flooding, sea level rise, increased precipitation, or wildfires. The news outlets behind the series created an<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/map-see-toxic-sites-near-you-are-threatened-climate-change-n1240932" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> interactive map</a> for all the locations on the office's list, which includes over half of the unfunded sites—19 of 34.</p>
<div id="b03a5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="539a490467d6c3af2cb231aa97a42739"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1343520823013871616" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">President-elect Joe Biden will have his work cut out for him as he attempts to reverse President Trump’s environmen… https://t.co/NIZ6juIClW</div> — Inside Climate News (@Inside Climate News)<a href="https://twitter.com/insideclimate/statuses/1343520823013871616">1609155300.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The outlets reported Monday that Democrats in Congress, environmentalists, and former officials at the Environmental Protection Agency are urging Biden to consider climate change when creating cleanup plans for not only the unfunded backlog—which has grown under President Donald Trump—but all 1,570 Superfund sites.</p><p>"Even before taking office, the Biden administration accomplished one of the GAO's key recommendations: acknowledge the climate threat," said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). "A Biden EPA will need to assess every federal Superfund project and help states do the same. As the GAO showed, climate change brings a new priority to rapid Superfund cleanup work."</p><p>As the outlets reported:</p><blockquote>Beyond Whitehouse's call for climate-threat assessments at every site, one senior former EPA official said the incoming Biden administration should review all of the agreements negotiated by the Trump EPA at Superfund sites with corporations liable for cleanups.<br><br>"You will want to see if the responsible parties were being given preferential treatment," said Mathy Stanislaus, who served as assistant administrator of the EPA's Office of Land and Emergency Management during the Obama administration.<br><br>Stanislaus said such reviews should focus first on any agreements negotiated since the election by the lame-duck Trump EPA.<br></blockquote>
<p>Earlier this month, Public Citizen <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/15/new-trump-lame-duck-temper-tantrum-tracker-will-document-final-gasps-nations" target="_blank">launched</a> an online tool to track Trump's "most corrupt, norm-breaking, dangerous, and unjust actions during the lame-duck session," noting that the past four years have featured "cruelty, recklessness, and cronyism" from the outgoing administration.</p><p>The watchdog group has been critical of Trump's EPA administrators. Currently the agency is run by former coal industry lobbyist Andrew Wheeler, who was <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/02/28/gop-slammed-shameful-vote-ex-coal-lobbyist-andrew-wheeler-confirmed-epa-chief" target="_blank">confirmed</a> by the Republican-controlled Senate in early 2019. His predecessor, Scott Pruitt, <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/07/05/finally-victory-people-and-planet-epa-chief-scott-pruitt-resigns" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">stepped down</a> in July 2018 in the face of several ethics scandals.</p><p>The Monday report noted that "the Superfund program is led by Peter C. Wright, a lawyer who previously worked for Dow Chemical and represented the company in negotiations with the EPA over Superfund sites."</p><p>Although party control of the Senate will be determined by a pair of <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/28/perdue-and-loeffler-silent-2000-checks-while-praising-trump-leadership-covid-relief" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">runoff elections</a> in Georgia on January 5, Biden has already announced several of his preferred Cabinet picks, including Michael Regan, the top environmental official in North Carolina, to head the EPA—a move that <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/17/michael-regan-nc-official-reportedly-tapped-be-bidens-epa-head-urged-genuinely" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">drew</a> a range of responses from campaigners.</p><p>On the campaign trail, Biden promised to take bold climate action with a focus on frontline communities. His $2 trillion green energy and environmental justice plan, unveiled in July, <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/07/14/more-work-do-major-step-forward-progressives-welcome-bidens-2-trillion-green-energy" target="_blank">earned </a>praise from various activists, including Varshini Prakash, co-founder and executive director of the youth-led Sunrise Movement.</p>
<div id="28f6b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1bb1d6e0d5f2a65c1b4bad9e5b683f76"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1343604912794595333" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">.@sunrisemvmt's @VarshPrakash and @DiverseGreen's @andresforchange: @JoeBiden needs to make good on environmental j… https://t.co/7dvRKDzRET</div> — Defend Our Future | #TimeToAct 🌎✊🏿✊ (@Defend Our Future | #TimeToAct 🌎✊🏿✊)<a href="https://twitter.com/DefendOurFuture/statuses/1343604912794595333">1609175348.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Writing for <em>The Hill</em> on Monday, Prakash and Green 2.0 executive director Andrés Jimenez <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/views/2020/12/28/biden-needs-make-good-environmental-justice-promises" target="_blank">welcomed</a> Biden's selection of Regan for EPA and Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.)<a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/17/perfect-choice-progressives-applaud-biden-pick-deb-haaland-interior-secretary" target="_blank"> for interior secretary</a> as "an encouraging sign that his administration is prioritizing the voices of the populations who are most in need of serious attention and aggressive action on some of the most important environmental challenges our nation faces."</p><p>"Still, much difficult work remains to be done if the concerns of frontline and at-risk communities are to be truly prioritized with forging and implementing equitable environmental policies," Prakash and Jimenez wrote, emphasizing that "communities of color have been disproportionately affected by our federal government's lack of action to solve ongoing environmental problems" and "are also at<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2020/06/29/climate-change-racism/" target="_blank"> higher risk</a> of the consequences of human-induced climate changes."</p><p>The pair urged Biden to "follow through on his promises to root out<a href="https://joebiden.com/environmental-justice-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> systemic racism</a> when it comes to our nation's environmental policy," appoint environmental leaders of color to positions at all levels of his administration, and "take urgent action to curb the global climate crisis and to restore justice for communities impacted by air, water, and land polluters."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/28/biden-already-facing-pressure-tackle-backlog-unfunded-toxic-waste-sites-threatened" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Photo illustration by YES! Magazine.
By YES! editors
It's been a hell of a year. YES! editors recommend relevant and illuminating books that help us find our way forward.
<p><br/></p>
<h2>1. All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis </h2><p>A splendid offering of wisdom, warmth, and inspiration to reshape our vision of climate futures, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/645808/all-we-can-save-by-edited-by-ayana-elizabeth-johnson-and-katharine-k-wilkinson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">All We Can Save </a>is a skillfully curated collection of essays, poems, and illustrations that is decidedly feminine in its character and feminist in its approach. In her essay, "Sacred Resistance," contributor Tara Houska writes, "Much of the space we call 'the climate movement' appears to be modeled after the same systems of inequity and separation we are attempting to change, undo, or outright dismantle." In a beautiful cross-section of society's most visionary voices on climate, the book instead invokes the powers of compassion, connection, and justice. Remaking the world is possible, they say, but whatever you do, don't call it hope. The pursuit of solutions cannot afford passive optimism. As Houska concludes, "We are never far from the answer to the problem we have created — it is within each of us." — Breanna Draxler</p>
<h2>2. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents</h2><p>Isabel Wilkerson's <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/321/321303/caste/9780241486511.html" target="_blank">Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents</a> invites a reappraisal of how we view race in this country. The book is eminently relevant in these fraught times, where the topic of race is everywhere. Yet Wilkerson never uses the words "race" or "racism" to describe the experience of African Americans, continuing an approach she took in her previous work, The Warmth of Other Suns. Rather she writes about "upper caste" and "lower caste" to describe Jim Crow hierarchy, where everything you could or couldn't do was based on what you looked like.</p><p>She compares India's treatment of its lower-caste citizens and Nazi Germany's treatment of Jews to America's treatment of African Americans. Racism, she says, is insufficient to capture the enormity of what Black people endure. The word is so overused, people stop hearing it. She calls race "the visible agent of the unseen force of caste. Caste is the bones, race the skin." It's an invitation for people to peer beneath the surface of the language they've gotten accustomed to. — Lornet Turnbull</p>
<h2>3. Hav</h2><p>Jan Morris is primarily known to contemporary readers as a British travel writer with dozens of books to her name. But she was also a journalist and historian who covered the first ascent of Mount Everest and the war crimes trial of Adolf Eichmann, and also one of the first high-profile transgender artists, beginning with her 1974 coming-out memoir, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/117486/conundrum-by-jan-morris/" target="_blank">Conundrum</a>. Morris died Nov. 20, 2020, at age 94.</p><p>One of Morris' most interesting works is <a href="https://www.nyrb.com/products/hav?variant=1094929821" target="_blank">Hav</a>, a novel in the guise of a travelogue to a fictitious Mediterranean city-state. The book includes 1985's Last Letters From Hav, and its 2006 sequel (when she "revisited" the country), Hav of the Myrmidons.</p><p>The book explores the conflict between tradition and modern life, Cold War tensions, indigenous populations facing extinction, how society changes after tumultuous upheaval, and the rise of religious fundamentalism and neoliberal economics. All of it is told with Morris' razor-sharp observations and poetic language, and as Ursula K. LeGuin notes in the introduction, "it is a very good guidebook, I think, to the early twenty-first century." — Chris Winters</p>
<h2>4. Just Us: An American Conversation</h2><p>Under discussion in Claudia Rankine's <a href="https://www.graywolfpress.org/books/just-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Just Us: An American Conversation</a> is our abiding but often unacknowledged American system of racial inequality. Rankine, a Black woman, attempts honest conversations with White friends and strangers who don't see what to her is the obvious reality of everyday White supremacy. In a series of telling moments — on an airplane, at a dinner party — Rankine allows herself to push against the glass wall of social convention by acknowledging racism. Her measured but discomforting comments are an experiment that invites other people to see themselves through her eyes and perhaps arrive at a moment of shared reality. But the smart, liberal White people Rankine engages usually respond with denial or the lack of awareness bred of ingrained privilege. Brilliant and generous, this book of essays, poems, and images is one for all Americans to give, share, and talk about. — Valerie Schloredt</p>
<h2>5. Our Malady: Lessons in Liberty From a Hospital Diary</h2><p>When hospital staff in a chaotic urban ER left Timothy Snyder awaiting treatment for 17 hours, he came close to death, fading in and out of consciousness. Turns out his bloodstream was infected from a liver abscess that had been noted, but not treated, when his burst appendix was removed two weeks earlier at the same hospital. Friends asked why this eminent Yale historian hadn't called in a favor to get the medical attention he needed sooner. But leveraging privilege hadn't occurred to Snyder, best known for On Tyranny, his book about threats to democracy.</p><p>In the weeks that followed, as COVID-19 spread across the United States, Snyder battled his malady and made notes on ours — a medical system of extreme inequality, designed to maximize profit, that makes everyone sicker. The result is <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/669175/our-malady-by-timothy-snyder/" target="_blank">Our Malady: Lessons in Liberty from a Hospital Diary</a>. You've heard that health care is a human right. Snyder brings rage and empathy to his assertion that health is also necessary to liberty, and health care for all a path to real freedom. — Valerie Schloredt</p>
<h2>6. The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart</h2><p>Alicia Garza's new book is the perfect answer to the question: Where do I start when it comes to organizing and movement building? What can I do? </p><p>In <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/565184/the-purpose-of-power-by-alicia-garza/" target="_blank">The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart</a>, Garza uses her own story to describe the ebbs and flows of movements: building a base, organizing around an issue, taking action, and creating positive change. Going from a sexual-health peer educator in high school to community work in the Bay Area to co-founding Black Lives Matter, possibly the largest social movement in U.S. history, Garza shares the victories and challenges she's experienced. Power, she writes, is the ability to affect the conditions of our own lives and the lives of others. Simply joining those who think like you is not how we gain power. "A movement is successful if it transforms the dynamics and relationships of power — from power being concentrated in the hands of a few to power being held by many." — Zenobia Jeffries Warfield</p>
<h2>7. We Will Not Cancel Us</h2><p>What happens when actions meant for good — to hold people who cause harm accountable — turn out harmful themselves? Leave it to adrienne maree brown to dive fearlessly and faithfully into perilous waters in her new short book <a href="https://www.akpress.org/catalogsearch/result/?q=emergent+strategy+series+" target="_blank">We Will Not Cancel Us: And Other Dreams of Transformative Justice</a>, the first in her Emergent Strategy Series. Instead of taking offense or simply shutting down, as many on the receiving end of call out and cancel culture have done, amb responded to critical comments to her blog post "Unthinkable Thoughts: Call Out Culture in the Age of COVID-19," in a loving, inquisitive, facilitating way and wrote a book about it.</p><p>"I have learned a lot more about some things I thought I knew," she writes "… I got clearer on the parts that were triggers for people… I homed in on what is within my expertise, and reaffirmed that celebrity activism is not my jam." We Will Not Cancel Us shares those lessons to help us all break the cycles of harm — be they intentional or unintentional. — Zenobia Jeffries Warfield</p>
<h2>8. What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat</h2><p>In a world where thinness reigns supreme and diet talk is as normal as talking about the weather, <a href="https://www.akpress.org/what-we-dont-talk-about.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat</a> is a much-needed addition to fat discourse. As a long-time fat activist, Aubrey Gordon seamlessly threads a personal narrative with data and history, examining the roots of anti-fat bias and the harm it causes. The book is accessible for folks who may not know much about anti-fatness. And for fat people, it's an incredibly validating and empowering read.</p><p>Particularly inspiring is Gordon's final chapter, in which she details her vision for a better, just, and equitable world. — Ayu Sutriasa</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.yesmagazine.org/health-happiness/2020/12/15/books-light-a-dark-season/" target="_blank">YES! Magazine</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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