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What Can We Do to Support Climate Recovery? American Resistance Sevilla and ClimateRecovery.org Invite You to a Roundtable Discussion What Exactly Is the Green New Deal? Thursday, March 21, 8:30 pm, Merchant Pub The Green New Deal is an ambitious, risky, possibly brilliant, and definitely controversial plan to slow climate change via a broad, progressive economic stimulus package. Introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, it calls for a 10-year mobilization to make the US carbon neutral. Some call it the litmus test for 2020 Democrats. Republicans say it’s a socialist plot for taking away your cars, your cows, and your ice cream. Let’s find out what the fuss is all about. We’ll cover key provisions, political implications, feasibility, and most of all, the pros and cons. Come raise a glass and join in the conversation. Text of House Resolution 109: The Green New Deal, Congressional Record Nine Key Questions About the Green New Deal, NY Times Green New Deal is Feasible and Affordable, CNN Conservatives Slam AOC’s Green New Deal, The Daily Show Does the Green New Deal Require Men to Recycle Their Urine for Coffee? Snopes Fact Check (Spoiler alert: no it doesn’t. That rumor was started by a right-wing conspiracy theorist.)  "We're building an army of young people to make climate change an urgent priority across America," says the Sunrise Movement, who helped launch the Green Deal via sit-ins in lawmakers offices. STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts Holy crap! At my mom's church this week I overheard a comment about the new “security team”… does that mean what I think it means? I excused myself and went out looking for the pastor. He told me that several congregations are training volunteers to confront an active shooter in church. The pastor assured me that the team were not allowed to carry guns, had gone through an initial training weekend, and were focused on confronting and isolating a threatening individual. It only struck me later that this training program was actually intended to address a different sort of threat — the jumpy members of the congregation who bring their guns to church and are poised to over-react. (Like the guy in the 4th row with the “Faith, Family and Firearms” T-shirt.) So this is where we are, a year after the Parkland school shooting. --Kathy Sherretts Article: Esquire: The Head Honcho on Trump's New Climate Change Panel Compared Carbon Dioxide to Jewish People by Jack Holmes Not only is the Trump administration not addressing climate change, but it is elevating people who dispute that it's happening—like William Happer, who claims that Actually, More CO2 in the Atmosphere Is Good. Article: Daily Kos: The Surprising Connection Between Black History And Flamenco The cajón is actually Afro-Peruvian, and was only introduced into “new flamenco” in 1977. Article: Mother Jones: Climate Change Isn’t Just Frying the Planet—It’s Fraying Our Nerves by Rowan Walrath Heat affects our neural regulation, weakening our ability to balance our emotions; we tend to be more aggressive and less empathetic during warm periods.(Ask anyone who has spent August in Sevilla.) Just for fun: Not yet !!!  Percussionist Caitro Soto introduced Paco de Lucía to the cajón in 1977. (Photo:Daily Kos) Ready to do more? Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0, a new strategy for a new congress. Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressive Americans living overseas. Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. Learn more at ClimateRecovery.org, a new group organized by members of American Resistance Sevilla and other community activists. Have questions or want to volunteer? Contact ClimateRecoverySevilla@gmail.com. 
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 What Can We Do to Support Climate Recovery? Buy More Organic Goodness, Less Corporate Junk Food Do you buy organic food? Why? Usually, people who buy organic are willing to pay more for either health or environmental reasons. According to USDA organic standards, "organic operations must demonstrate that they are protecting natural resources, conserving biodiversity, and using only approved substances.” At its core, organic foods are produced with a “farm” rather than “factory” mentality. They use fewer chemicals and pesticides, resulting in less water, air, and soil pollution. The Organic Trade Association estimates that if all farming were organic, we would eliminate 500 million pounds of pesticide pollution. Since organic farming does not rely on chemicals, more traditional farming methods like crop rotation and composting become necessary, which also support long term soil health, surrounding wildlife, and clean waterways. Although most organic produce is not necessarily nutritionally healthier than traditional produce, organic products do reduce pesticide exposure and accumulation in the body. Organic meat and dairy products also eliminate exposure to added hormones and do not put you at risk for antibiotic-resistant disease as conventional meat and dairy products do. The takeaway Organic food has a number of health and environmental benefits (it also tastes better!); however, it can be expensive and is not always available. If you have the means to choose organic, do so. If you do not have that option, focus on consuming more local, seasonal food whenever possible. Article by Natalie Snow Purinton Video: When to Buy Organic: A Produce Cheat Sheet from Consumer Reports STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts Double jeopardy Two former industry lobbyists are serving as acting directors of two important agencies since the resignation of two original Trump appointees last year (under the pressure of two potential investigations for ethics and finance violations.) Both have been nominated to lead their departments, where they have successfully cut industry oversight and environmental protections. They face two confirmation hearings before the Senate. Take a minute to contact your senators this week to ask them to oppose the nomination of Andrew Wheeler as EPA chief and David Bernhardt as Secretary of the Interior. --Kathy Sherretts Podcast: Slate/Hi-Phi Nation: Risky Business (49 min) How many innocent people should we be allowed to arrest and jail in order to prevent a single dangerous person from being free? Article: Second Nexus: ‘Lobbyists Pay the Homeless + Others to Hold Their Place So They Can Get in 1st’ by Evan Brechtel Lobbyists frequently pay the homeless to hold their place in line to get into Senate and Congressional hearings. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez retains her capacity to be shocked. Podcast: 99 Percent Invisible: National Sword (43 min) Where does our recycling go? China was one of the biggest buyers of recycling—until last year. Just for fun: Reunite Gondwana! Smithsonian Magazine explains...  This is actually an emergency. We've got to do better with the first two Rs. (Photo is from the BuzzFeed Video below.) Ready to do more? Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0, a new strategy for a new congress. Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressive Americans living overseas. Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. Learn more at ClimateRecovery.org, a new group organized by members of American Resistance Sevilla and other community activists. Have questions or want to volunteer? Contact ClimateRecoverySevilla@gmail.com.  What Can We Do to Support Climate Recovery? Find Everyday Ways to Cut Down on Food Waste The US and Europe waste an astonishing amount of food each year — three times enough to feed the whole world. And 90% of us consumers in developed countries throw away food before it has gone bad. Food waste is the largest source of landfill garbage and when organic waste breaks down anaerobically — without oxygen —in a landfill (as opposed to decomposing naturally), it releases high levels of methane, a greenhouse gas 72 times more potent than C02. In developed countries, the individual consumer is responsible for the majority of food waste. Fortunately, this means that our actions can make a significant impact. How can we reduce food waste?
Article by Natalie Snow Purinton  Wasted vegetables and fruits in a supermarket. Some of the most impressive stuff in there was found underneath the surface — such as an entire carton of bananas. Photo by Foerster, Wikimedia Commons. STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts The Yuck Factor I’m back in the US for a couple of weeks. On the plane I read Kathleen McAuliffe’s story in this month’s Atlantic magazine that looks into how our political outlook is formed. Research has suggested that political orientation may correlate to our physiological response to threats—specifically, our propensity to feel physical revulsion. The more grossed out you get, the more conservative you are. So I have to wonder—can you be conditioned to a more liberal political view, the same as you can learn to like kimchi or caracoles? Could it even be cause and effect? Maybe the conservatism of my upbringing, bolstered by bland food and Caucasian homogeneity, was somehow undone by my later exposure to sewage treatment and compost pits? It’s a fascinating idea, and I hope to discuss it with my family over grilled cheese sandwiches*. --Kathy Sherretts *That's individually wrapped American cheese slices on toasted Wonder Bread, of course. Article: Mother Jones: Mitch McConnell Admits That Republicans Lose When More People Vote by Ari Berman Mitch McConnell announced his opposition to making Election Day a federal holiday in order to make it easier for people to get to the polls. He called it a “power grab” that would help Democrats win elections. Podcast: WNYC Studios/New Yorker Radio Hour: The Mueller Investigation: What We Know So Far (10 Min) With all the headlines of the past two years—this one brought in for questioning, that one indicted, this one cooperating—it can be hard to keep track of what this is really all about. Reporter Adam Davidson gives us a refresher on the basic facts. Article: The Guardian: ‘Make do and mend’ is a good, green motto for our wasteful times by Gaby Hinsliff How on earth did we fall into the trap of lights where the bulb is sealed in, so that when it goes you have to replace the whole unit? The manufacturers’ argument is that technology has moved on, that there’s no place any more for amateur tinkering. Photo Gallery: Washington Post: 20 notable African American firsts in entertainment  Pelosi’s viral applause came in response to Trump calling for the rejection of “the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution" and his call for lawmakers to “embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise and the common good.” Ready to do more? Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0, a new strategy for a new congress. Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressive Americans living overseas. Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. Learn more at ClimateRecovery.org, a new group organized by members of American Resistance Sevilla and other community activists. Have questions or want to volunteer? Contact ClimateRecoverySevilla@gmail.com.   If you have a party with lots of people, ask guests to write their name on the cup they are using. If the cups are sturdy, go ahead and wash them for another occasion! What Can We Do to Support Climate Recovery? Reduce Our Reliance on Throw-Away Plastics In 2016, we produced 335 million metric tons of plastic worldwide, half of which was created with the intention to be used for as little as a few minutes, or even a few SECONDS (looking at you, plastic coffee stirrers). What are the worst culprits?
What can we do?
TED Talk: What happens to the plastic you throw away?/A Plastic Ocean (Netflix/Amazon Prime) Article by Natalie Snow Purinton STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts Nitty gritty While our collective attention has been engaged by the Super Bowl, governors in blackface, MAGA-hat kids, federal worker food banks, Democratic presidential announcements, etc, the wheels of the legislature have been turning in the background (or spinning, as the case may be). What have our elected representatives been doing? In bite-size chunks, you can read an overview of individual bills before the House and the Senate at Countable and see citizens’ comments arguing for and against their passage. If you really want to get into the weeds, read the Congressional Record. Wow. Even the pdf looks like a 19th century broadsheet. One of these is published every day for each of the houses of the legislature, and contains a transcript of everything discussed on the chamber floor. Here’s a sample, the Senate proceedings for last Thursday the 31st of January. I dislike Mitch McConnell even more now than I did from listening to him in out-of-context news clips. Man, is that guy snarky. He’s next up for re-election in 2020 and I plan now to contribute to any campaign to vote him out and retire his obstructionist ass. --Kathy Sherretts Black History Month: Washington Post/Retropolis: How the founder of Black History Month rebutted white racism in a forgotten manuscript by DeNeen L. Brown Carter G. Woodson advocated for scholarly research, study and publication of works about the African American experience. In 1926, Woodson created Negro History Week to celebrate the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, both in February. The week later evolved into Black History Month. Article: The Nation: An Actual American War Criminal May Become Our Second-Ranking Diplomat by Eric Alterman Elliott Abrams spent the Reagan years abetting genocide—now, he has been appointed special envoy to Venzuela during that country’s political crisis, and may be floated as Trump’s deputy secretary of state. Lead linings: Think Progress: After inspiring climate denial playbook, Big Tobacco now sees dollar signs from climate change by Kyla Mandel “Doubt is our product … It is also the means of establishing a controversy,” reads a tobacco industry memo from 1969. The same tactic has been used by the fossil fuel industry to deny climate science. The two industries also shared scientists and public relations firms to help promote their misleading narratives. Advice: Washington Post: When you’re burning out by Carolyn Hax A reader struggles to stay engaged.  Stacey Abrams will give the Democratic response to Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday. Joy Reid and her panel discuss what the president might say, and how Nancy Pelosi might react. Ready to do more? Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0, a new strategy for a new congress. Check out the weekly action plan from Progressive Action, Global Exchange (PAGE) which mobilizes progressive Americans living overseas. Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. Learn more at ClimateRecovery.org, a new group organized by members of American Resistance Sevilla and other community activists. Have questions or want to volunteer? Contact ClimateRecoverySevilla@gmail.com. |
resist the madness!American Resistance Sevilla is a non-partisan community mobilizing Americans living abroad to take peaceful action defending our lawful rights and freedoms. Learn more Archives
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