We're All We've Got, We're All We Need: A Mutual Aid Explainer

This is from our fiends at Mutual Aid Disaster Relief.  What it says!

Climate Change and the Future of Humanity | David Wallace-Wells

A short, very helpful video by David-Wallace who wrote a long, well-researched article in the New York Magazine a few years ago and then a book on why catastrophic climate change is an existential threat to humanity.

This short video is very useful to share with family, friends, coworkers, your community to get a conversation started.

Earth Day Action Live

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Green Growth Myth

Short, great little movie explains the fallacy

George Bernard Shaw Quote

Meet Katharin Wilkinson of Project Drawdown

Another good introduction to Drawdown

5 Principles for Just COVID-19 Relief and Stimulus

If you represent an organization consider going to the link and signing this letter to Congress by Sunrise Movement.

5 Principles for Just COVID-19 Relief and Stimulus

The COVID-19 pandemic demands swift and unprecedented action from the federal government. The depth of the crisis and the scope of the response mean that choices being made right now will shape our society for years, if not decades to come. As policymakers take steps to ensure immediate relief and long-term recovery, it is imperative that they consider the interrelated crises of wealth inequality, racism, and ecological decline, which were in place long before COVID-19, and now risk being intensified. This is a time to be decisive in saving lives, and bold in charting a path to a genuinely healthier and more equitable future through a just recovery.

We, the undersigned organizations, call for COVID-19 relief and stimulus packages to contribute to a just recovery by upholding these five principles:

(1) HEALTH IS THE TOP PRIORITY, FOR ALL PEOPLE, WITH NO EXCEPTIONS

We support the calls of community leaders, public health organizations, unions, and others for free and accessible testing, treatment, and protective equipment; expanded hospital capacity, including in rural areas, territories, and tribal lands; paid sick leave and paid family medical leave for all workers without exception; expanded federal funding for Medicaid; and full funding for Indian Health Service and urban Indian health centers. Critically, the government must ensure such health protections cover all people, including low-wage workers, health workers, independent contractors, family farmers, Black and Latinx communities, undocumented immigrants, Indigenous peoples, people who are incarcerated, people who are homeless or housing insecure, and others likely to be hit first and worst by COVID-19 and the economic downturn.

(2) PROVIDE ECONOMIC RELIEF DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE

We support the urgent calls to expand the social safety net by broadening unemployment insurance, vastly increasing food aid programs, extending housing assistance, expanding childcare for working families, relieving student debt, and halting evictions, foreclosures, and shut offs of water and electricity. As with expanded public health measures, these economic measures must be implemented to ensure coverage of workers and communities likely to be hit first and worst by COVID-19 and the economic downturn. In addition, to counteract the economic downturn, the federal government should immediately direct sizable cash payments to every person. Larger payments should be made to lower-income workers and the poor, who are disproportionately exposed to both COVID-19 health risks and heightened job insecurity. These payments should be made swiftly and regularly throughout the duration of the economic recession.

(3) RESCUE WORKERS AND COMMUNITIES, NOT CORPORATE EXECUTIVES

Any financial assistance directed at specific industries must be channeled to workers, not shareholders or corporate executives. Specifically, any federal loans must be used to maintain payroll and benefits, not executive bonuses or stock buybacks. In addition, such funds should come with pro-worker conditions, such as requiring worker representation on the company’s board of directors, company-wide enactment of a $15/hour or higher minimum wage, and compliance with high-road labor standards such as payment of prevailing wages, use of project-labor agreements, adoption of a neutrality policy with regard to union collective bargaining, and adoption of a “ban the box” hiring policy to ensure fair employment opportunities for all.

(4) MAKE A DOWN PAYMENT ON A REGENERATIVE ECONOMY, WHILE PREVENTING FUTURE CRISES

While we urgently need a large, short-term stimulus to protect the health and economic security of those on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, it is imperative that policymakers also plan for a large, medium-term stimulus to counteract the economic downturn and ensure a just recovery. This stimulus should create millions of good, family-sustaining jobs with high-road labor standards; counter systemic inequities by directing investments to the working families, communities of color, and Indigenous communities who face the most economic insecurity; and tackle the climate crisis that is compounding threats to our economy and health. All three goals can be achieved simultaneously with public investments to rebuild our infrastructure, replace lead pipes, expand wind and solar power, build clean and affordable public transit, weatherize our buildings, build and repair public housing, manufacture more clean energy goods, restore our wetlands and forests, expand public services that support climate resilience, and support regenerative agriculture led by family farmers. Critically, stimulus packages should include conditions for industries to implement high-road labor standards, workforce development, and reductions in climate emissions and toxic pollution. The response to one existential crisis must not fuel another.

(5) PROTECT OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS WHILE PROTECTING EACH OTHER

People must not be forced to choose between exercising their rights as citizens and protecting public health. The federal government must support states, by providing funding and technical support wherever needed, to ensure that every American can vote safely in primary and general elections. Specific life-saving and democracy-defending measures include expanding vote by mail, online or automatic voter registration, among others. The 2020 Census must be fully supported and resourced to achieve an accurate and safe count under the new and evolving conditions. US Congress, state capitals and city halls should not shut down until they have amended rules to ensure continuity of governance in the case that in-person sessions are suspended.

test audio and video links

An audio file
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1BelgEZELnM3hZxeZJsCGPdFOcXPNsiOx


A YouTube link for video which this will not be
https://youtu.be/GUpiU7P3fgM


An embedded YouTube  of video on blog or website

Inside Extinction Rebellion -- a KEO film

This is a 45 minute documentary history of the XR movement in UK up through the train stoppage action.  The video takes a strong editorial view on that last action thinking it a mistake.  I disagree with that judgement and have previously shown that even that action had the potential for building support and understanding of the movement.

Rights of Nature Video

The Art of Extinction Rebellion

XR planning a march -- 10 how-to planning idea

Extinction Rebellion 'faces a concerted effort to discredit it...' BBC Radio

This is chilling but we can count on more of it as protests become more effective.

 

Great New Sunrise Pitch for Bernie and Building a Movement

Stop Airport Expansion

The Airport expansion is a gift to the wine and tourism industries -- two low wage extraction industries increasingly owned by outside investors. This and all fossil fuel new infrastructure is a climate issue. This is the wrong direction and must be stopped.  Sign the petition here

We are in a Climate Crisis.

• Locally we are already experiencing impacts of the climate crisis including record high winds, wildfires, floods, and the loss of health, homes and lives.  
• In recognition of this, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors has passed a Climate Emergency Resolution.

Air travel emits significant CO2 which worsens the Climate Crisis.

• A round-trip flight from New York to London generates an average of 986 kg of CO2 per passenger. There are 56 countries where the average person's carbon footprint is less than that for an entire year.
• Increasing CO2 would prevent future generations from having the opportunities prior generations have had to live and thrive.

There is a proposal to increase air travel at the Sonoma County Airport with plans to begin construction this summer on expansion of the airport terminal.  

• It is expected to cost $25 Million to expand the terminal (half of the funds have been obtained).  Instead, our community needs to utilize our resources to address the Climate Crisis, increase fire safety, reduce power outages, and develop economic justice by creating green jobs that are not dependent upon fossil fuels.
• Increasing the number of flights will increase noise pollution, air pollution and health challenges, especially for those with asthma.

We need public support to STOP expansion of the Sonoma County Airport.  

PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:

Dear Supervisors,

We urge you to please stop any plans to increase flights at the Sonoma County Airport and to not put any resources into expansion of the airport terminal.

Signed,

Global Warming Narrated Video

We Don't Have 12 More Years

 

...and that means across the globe!