The Plastocene Era

We can't just recycle our way out of this. Although plastic is often seen as a separate issue from climate change, both its production and its afterlife are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

The Home Front:
What’s Your Diet’s Carbon Footprint?
We know it’s better for the planet (and our bodies) to eat less meat, especially beef, and the Meatless Monday movement is catching on. But what is the difference between beef and chicken? Does a bowl of rice produce more climate warming greenhouse gases than a plate of chips? Is wine more environmentally friendly than beer? And what about chocolate??
Check out the BBC’s interactive food impact calculator and find out which foods are better for the environment and should be indulged in more often.
—Karen McCann
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STOP, LOOK, LISTEN!
The Plastocene Era

• Reduce, Reuse, Refuse. I'm finding that it takes an effort to bring home less single-use plastic. The recommendations below are just of few of the things I have been reading on the subject of plastics.
• Impeachment. It’s all over but the acquittal… I don’t need to link to a lineup of opinion pieces, each more pained and indignant than the last. You’ve read more than your share already. But keep in mind a couple of things: This process has been a success, as it brought to light not only illegal actions by the President, but also the moral failure of the Republican senators who are giving him cover. It's not just Trump who needs to be removed by the voters this November—the whole lot of unbound-by-term-limits weasels have to go.
• Black History Month. A little something to celebrate.

—Kathy Sherretts

Three articles on living with plastic:

Politico: Plastic bags have lobbyists. They're winning. by Samantha Maldonado, Bruce Ritchie and Debra Kahn
​Only eight states ban single-use plastic bags; nearly twice as many have laws protecting them. From the UN Environment Programme: History of the plastic shopping bag.

Yale Environment 360: The Plastics Pipeline: A Surge of New Production Is on the Way by Beth Gardiner
With customers' general shift away from fossil fuels, oil and gas companies are looking for another use for their petroleum and byproducts. Plastics are increasingly seen as a growth area.

Grist: What’s the most ethical way to store leftovers? by Eve Andrews
Don’t overthink it. Use what you have, and don’t throw anything away before you really have to.
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​Want to Do More?

• Learn about the Green New Deal.
• Read the Indivisible Guide 2.0. 
• 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 about climate solutions and actions at ClimateRecovery.org, a group organized by community activists and members of American Resistance Sevilla.