Green Reads for the Holiday

Somehow, we are a mere 10 days from the beginning of 2020! I hope you're setting your out-of-office message, closing up the laptop, and packing your bags for some well-deserved downtime with friends and family. Make sure to get outside for some sunshine and fresh air!

If you're traveling this season, or just need some peace and quiet to yourself, may I suggest some good reads? These articles have been blowing my mind, and I hope as you take a read through, you'll find them equally eye-opening.

There's a lot of exciting content coming in 2020, and I look forward to having you join in as we all pursue a more sustainable future.

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What Are We Doing to Our Public Lands and Waters? by Hal Herring

I was recently introduced to Herring's work through the Mountain & Prairie podcast, and subsequently hunted down every bit of his writing I could find. This article, written earlier this year, is a wake-up call for all of us: whether we know it or not, our lives depend on healthy public lands. It's our responsibility to engage government and advocate for policies that protect them. (link here)

"Make no mistake, this is not a political post; the questions I’ve raised run far deeper than any politics. We are being asked what we want our America to be, what it should look like, what goals we should pursue. What is essential? What is worth fighting for? "

Frances Moore Lappé changed how we eat. She wants to do the same for our democracy. by David Marchese

Sometimes you come across people who are extraordinary thinkers; who are able to connect concepts across various subject areas and allow you to see things in totally new ways. Frances Moore Lappé is one of these people. While under a broad heading she is ostensibly a food and health guru, her understanding of the food system and its implications extend far beyond simply 'eating well'. (link here)

"We have to work on courage. This is the time to do what scares us. Rather than being individualistic, humans are actually so social that it’s hard to be different from the pack — even if the pack is heading over the falls. But fear doesn’t have to kill us. Fear can be exhilarating. Choose people in your life who are gutsier than you, more willing to take risks, and absorb that from them and be courageous yourself. That is what this moment calls for."

Amazon Watch: What Happens When the Forest Disappears? by Fred Pearce

Earlier this year, the online world erupted in protest when reports surfaced of a massive fire raging in the Amazon forest. In response, some advocates called for the boycott of Brazilian beef, which left many other people scratching their heads. Why beef? This article explains why - Brazilian policies and lack of enforcement are steadily eating away at the forest, impairing its important function as a global carbon sink (and news flash: the fires haven't stopped). (link here)

"This is not about economic development, Mountiho says. It is about condoning criminality. Genuine economic development would involve more intensive use of already deforested land. In fact, says Nobre, the country could increase beef and soy production while still giving land back for natural forest regeneration."

What Happens to the Stuff You Donate? Fresh Air, 12.4.19

Ok, this isn't an article; it's a podcast. Nevertheless, this episode explores a very important part of our consumer supply chain: what happens to stuff when we're done using it? Surprisingly, a lot. It especially highlights the fact that reusing and recycling are not just "feel-good" acts, but part of a continuing global supply chain. Be sure to give this episode a listen. (link here)

"Your recycling is not an environmental good, it's a commodity. Household recycling...is harvesting. You're harvesting material for the people that actually do the recycling."

It's A Vast, Invisible Climate Menace. We Made It Visible. by Jonah Kessel and Hiroko Tabuchi

Scientific evidence is conclusive in the opinion that if we want to avoid the rapid and catastrophic effects of global climate change, we must act concertedly to control emissions. Easier said than done, especially in the U.S., where the government's climate policy is in retrograde and businesses prefer not to monitor emissions simply because doing so would be "costly and burdensome". This reporting shows how 'fugitive' methane emissions continue at oil and gas production sites, even as policy rollbacks are poised to make the problem worse. (link here)

"Next year, the administration could move forward with a plan that would effectively eliminate requirements that oil companies install technology to detect and fix methane leaks from oil and gas facilities. By the E.P.A.’s own calculations, the rollback would increase methane emissions by 370,000 tons through 2025, enough to power more than a million homes for a year."