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What Can We Do to Support Climate Recovery? Learn Ways to Cope with Eco-Anxiety Absorbing headlines about climate change makes us all nervous (OK, petrified). That fear is nature’s way of energizing us to flee or fight. Unless we manage to get a seat on one of the Mars mission rockets, flight isn’t a viable option. But there is plenty we can do to combat global warming — and its effect on our psyches. Take action. Every time we perform an act of environmental responsibility, we’re not only doing good in the world, we’re giving our anxieties a productive outlet, easing our sense of pent-up distress. That’s why each week American Resistance Sevilla sends out this newsletter to identify actions we can take to help fix the mess we’re in. Build your support network. Nobody knows what’s going to happen in the years ahead, but facing it together will make it easier to figure out what’s going on and find strategies for coping, adapting, and keeping our mental equilibrium. ClimateRecovery.org was developed to enable us to reach out to those in the Seville community who don’t identify with the American struggle but want to help on a planetary level. Skip the news occasionally. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, especially by all the doom-and-gloom stories. Staying informed is great; being a news junkie is bad for our nerves. Get out in nature, spend time with those you love. Remind yourself why you care about saving the Earth and its inhabitants. Get Rid of Your Eco-Anxiety, Natural Resources Defense Counsel By Karen McCann  We feel better when we take positive action, such as marching together on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2019. Photo by Karen McCann STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts You can’t tell the players without a scorecard As more and different Democratic contenders entered the primary field over the last months, I mostly stepped back and waited—not because I'm not interested, but because I truly think that any one of these candidates would be a competent, reasonable president. Every single one of them has more public service experience, basic integrity, and intelligence than our current president, and any of them would be a welcome choice. I just don’t want the winnowing process to squander money that the Democratic party will need later on to counter the Trump machine, and I don’t want these rival candidates to cut each other to pieces to the point that in a year the voters don’t trust any of them. That said, this interactive from the New York Times presents 21 candidates’ compare-and-contrast responses to a set of 18 basic questions. It may not resolve any deep issues, but it's fun to play with. Also, lest we be too focused on the 2020 elections, remember that the 2019 elections feature important questions in several states.This Ballotpedia page compiles information on congressional special elections, state ballot initiatives, governors’ races, and more. See what is coming up in your home state! --Kathy Sherretts Video: PBS: All of the Mueller report’s major findings in less than 30 minutes (28 min) Working Paper: IMF: Global Fossil Fuel Subsidies Remain Large: An Update Based on Country-Level Estimates by David Coady, Ian Parry, Nghia-Piotr Le, Baoping Shang The largest subsidizers in 2015 were China ($1.4 trillion), United States ($649 billion), Russia ($551 billion), European Union ($289 billion), and India ($209 billion). About three quarters of global subsidies are due to domestic factors—energy pricing reform thus remains largely in countries’ own national interest—while coal and petroleum together account for 85 percent of global subsidies. Efficient fossil fuel pricing in 2015 would have lowered global carbon emissions by 28 percent. Article: The New Yorker: Inside a Texas Building Where the Government Is Holding Immigrant Children by Isaac Chotiner Q & A with some of the lawyers interviewing immigrant children held in Border Patrol detention facilities. The conditions they found were shocking: flu and lice outbreaks were going untreated, and children were filthy, sleeping on cold floors, and taking care of each other because of the lack of attention from guards. “We met almost no children who came across unaccompanied. The United States is taking children away from their family unit and reclassifying them as unaccompanied children. But they were not unaccompanied children.” Just for fun: EastWest Market: Avoid the Shame.  The New York Times reached out the Democratic presidential candidates to ask them the same set of questions on video. Twenty-one accepted the invitation. Ready to do more? Learn about the Green New Deal. If you missed our roundtable discussion, you can read the presenters' notes here. 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 progressives living overseas. Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. Learn more about solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a new group organized by members of American Resistance Sevilla and other community activists. 
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What Can We Do to Support Climate Recovery? Become a More Eco-Savvy Traveler As expats, travel is part of our lifestyle, and we’re learning how to take our environmental awareness on the road. If you’re renting a car, ask for a hybrid. Hertz, Budget, and many other rental agencies now offer hybrids, which can reduce your carbon footprint from 74.9 pounds (34 kilograms) to 51.6 pounds (23.1 kilograms) per 100 miles. And you save on fuel costs. Choose accommodations with showers, not baths. Showers use just 10 to 25 gallons of water, while baths use up to 70 gallons. Feeling frisky? Shower with a friend and save even more water! Avoid using the hotel laundry. It’s not only expensive but each guest’s clothes are washed separately in small loads, an inefficient use of water. When you can, wash clothes in the sink and hang them to dry.  Rich doing laundry in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo by Karen McCann Leave the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door when you go out. Unless your room really needs refreshing, skip the maid service to cut down on chemical cleansing agents, electricity used in vacuuming, and the washing of bed linens. Added bonus: if thieves are around, they’ll avoid your room thinking it’s occupied. Source: 40 Green Travel Tips: The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Travel By Karen McCann  In the 1850s, women’s rights activists briefly adopted a new style in an effort to liberate themselves from heavy dresses. Photo: Originally from The History Project, UC Davis. STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts Once and future colluder I really tried to make a Trump-free list of recommendations this week—there are so many better things to occupy our time! But this was too much. First the George Stephanopoulos interview on ABC News: Trump says he may not alert FBI if info is offered by foreigners on 2020 candidates (video, 5 min). The Federal Election Commission Chairwoman felt compelled to respond: “I would not have thought that I needed to say this.” Finally, exasperated FBI Director Chris Wray: “This is potentially encouraging criminal activity and undermining federal law.” Oh, and one other thing--a quiz in honor of Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ departure from the White House. NOW on to the Trump-free list. --Kathy Sherretts Video: The Atlantic: Women After Prison/Sister Hearts (16 min) “When I got out of prison, they wouldn't allow me to open a bank account. I could not rent an apartment. I could not get a job. So I started just selling stuff out of a suitcase on the street corner. The first day I made $40. And I just kept doing that. Three years later, I have a 15,000 square foot thrift store and transition housing facility for other female ex-offenders.” Article: Smithsonian: Amelia Bloomer Didn’t Mean to Start a Fashion Revolution, But Her Name Became Synonymous With Trousers by Lorraine Boissoneault Chafing against clothing norms was not quite the same thing as rebelling against the patriarchy, but the two issues frequently overlapped. Article: BBC: The plastic packaging paradox by Tim Harford Are shrink-wrapped cucumbers really so silly if it means they stay fresh for 14 days rather than three?  Plastic waste vs. wasted food? Ready to do more? Learn about the Green New Deal. If you missed our roundtable discussion, you can read the presenters' notes here. 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 progressives living overseas. Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. Learn more about solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a new group organized by members of American Resistance Sevilla and other community activists.  What Can We Do to Support Climate Recovery? Enjoy Meatless Mondays When I first moved to Seville, I was a vegetarian. It didn’t take long for my carnivore amigos to lead me astray, but I still cook meals without meat on a regular basis. Can plant-based fare be satisfying? Just ask my husband, shown here wolfing down fried macaroni in Naples, Italy.  Rich McCann enjoying meat-free comfort food in Naples, Italy. Photo by Karen McCann Meatless Mondays is an international campaign that encourages people to adopt a plant-based diet one day a week for their own health and the planet’s. Livestock agriculture (including dairy, fish, and eggs) accounts for about half of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions, to say nothing of the damage it’s doing to the soil and water. Going meat-free just one day a week reduces your carbon footprint by more than 1900 pounds a year. And you add terrific new recipes to your repertoire. Below are some of my personal faves. (Purists can substitute a non-dairy alternative for the quarter cup of Parmesan in the risotto.) Baked Risotto with Roasted Vegetables Mediterranean Vegetable Stew Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup Vegetarian Cassoulet Hungry for more? Check out the Meatless Monday recipes. By Karen McCann  STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts On my honor, I will try... I am halfway through my time as a hospitalera at a small albergue on the Camino de Santiago. This role appeals to my inner Girl Scout. During these two weeks I am a registrar of daily peregrinos, a folder of sheets, a mopper of floors, a translator, a listener and an adviser, a charming, helpful, sympathetic problem-solver. It's a nice vacation from my normal surly self, but I don't think I could keep it up for longer than one more week. --Kathy Sherretts P.S. Check in with your senators this week, everyone! Article: BuzzFeed: The Trump Administration Is Canceling English Classes, Soccer, And Legal Aid For Unaccompanied Immigrant Children by Adolfo Flores Critics view the move as punitive and illegal. Carlos Holguin is a lawyer who helped set standards of care for children in custody. “What’s next? Drinking water? Food? Where are they going to stop?" Video: WaPo Fact Checker: How a census question about citizenship ended up in the Supreme Court (5 min) 1984 at 75: The Atlantic: Doublethink is Stronger Than Orwell Imagined by George Packer It’s almost impossible to talk about propaganda, surveillance, authoritarian politics, or perversions of truth without dropping a reference to “1984”. In the Trump era, it’s a best seller. Article: Mother Jones: Dream Big, Reach for the Stars, and Don’t You Dare Mention Climate Change by Oliver Milman Students have been barred from reading a text that warns of “catastrophic climate change” for being too political. Just for fun: The Guardian: Yes, it's me, President Trump, visiting some third-world hellhole by John Crace  Schools and colleges across the US have been accused of censoring students who have attempted to use their graduation speeches to speak out on the unfolding climate crisis. Photo: Marty Caivano/Digital First Media/Boulder Daily Camera/Getty Ready to Do More? Learn about the Green New Deal. If you missed our roundtable discussion, you can read the presenters' notes here. 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 progressives living overseas. Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. Learn more about solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a new group organized by members of American Resistance Sevilla and other community activists.  What Can We Do to Support Climate Recovery? Add Up Your Carbon Savings Every time we walk instead of drive, turn off appliances that aren’t needed, or skip meat at dinner, we’re reducing our carbon footprint. As folk singer Pete Seeger put it, “If there’s a world here in a hundred years, it’s going to be saved by tens of millions of little things.” Here’s how to calculate your savings. Walk, bicycle, or take public transit instead of driving 1 pound of carbon dioxide per mile Replace standard bulbs with compact fluorescent light-bulbs (CFLs) in three lamps 300 pounds of carbon dioxide per year Shorten your shower by 2 minutes a day 342 pounds of carbon dioxide per year Turn off appliances when not in use 1000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year Opt for Meatless Mondays 1915 pounds of carbon dioxide per year Adjusting your thermostat up two degrees in summer, down two degrees in winter 2000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year Source: Tips for Reducing Your Carbon Footprint, Clackamas County, Oregon By Karen McCann  Riding a bike saves a pound of CO2 per mile. Photo by Karen McCann. STOP, LOOK, LISTEN! by Kathy Sherretts Isn't it Tariffic! The one thing that buoys President Trump in the polls is America's healthy economy, but Trump's insistence on upending trade agreements in order to pressure other countries could backfire before long. For all the hype and complaints about Chinese imports stealing American jobs, Mexico is actually the US's largest trading partner. Someone in the administration had the bright idea of leaning on Mexico to stop the flow of central American immigrants coming to the US border. This seems to be a handy combination of two of Trump's greatest hits from his 2016 campaign: "Stop Illegal Immigrants!" and "Mexico Will Pay For It!". --Kathy Sherretts  These boots were made for walkin'—by Chinese workers at a factory in Qingdao, China. (STR/AFP/Getty) Podcast: Slate/What Next: Mueller Would Like You to Read His Report, Please (20 min) The special counsel breaks his silence to reiterate the conclusions of his investigation’s report—and remind the American people to read it. Article: Bloomberg: North Korea Executed Envoy Over Trump-Kim Summit, Chosun Reports by By Shinhye Kang and Jihye Lee North Korea executed a former top nuclear envoy and four other foreign ministry officials in March after a failed summit between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump, according to the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo. Interactive: Sabin Center for Climate Change Law: Climate Deregulation Tracker This list identifies steps taken by the Trump administration and Congress to scale back or eliminate federal climate measures. Department of Re-branding: Slate: The Department of Energy Is Now Calling Fossil Fuels “Molecules of Freedom” and “Freedom Gas” by Jacob Weissman Pollin’ in the Air: Dakota Free Press: Arabic Numerals in School Draw Strong Opposition in Brookings Register Poll As of XVI:XX this afternoon, LVII per cento of MMMMLXXIV respondents oppose teaching Arabic numerals in America’s public schools. Snopes confirmed that this survey done by Civic Science is true.  John Dick, the Twitter user who originally posted a screenshot of the survey question, is the CEO of Civic Science. Ready to do more? Learn about the Green New Deal. If you missed our roundtable discussion, you can read the presenters' notes here. 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 progressives living overseas. Sign up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist, a weekly action list that also provides encouragement and good news. Learn more about solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a new group organized by members of American Resistance Sevilla and other community activists.  |
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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