Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Catholic And Evangelical Leaders Call On Lawmakers To Fight Climate Change

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/06/23/3673212/faith-leaders-back-pope-on-climate/
"On Tuesday, a group of religious leaders took out a full-page advertisement on the back page of Politico to offer resounding support for Pope Francis and his recently-released encyclical on the environment, a landmark work of Catholic teaching which argued that governments have a moral obligation to address human-caused climate change."

Koch Brothers Have Led Us Into The Largest Mass Extinction In 65 Million Years

http://www.occupydemocrats.com/koch-brothers-have-led-us-into-the-largest-mass-extinction-in-65-million-years/
"The study, led by Princeton, Stanford and the University of California-Berkeley found that vertebrates– which include birds, mammals, reptiles, fish and amphibians– are disappearing at rates 114 times faster than normal."

Saturday, June 20, 2015

It’s Not Just Climate — Pope Francis Is Also Warning About The Health Of Our Oceans

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/06/20/3672094/pope-francis-encyclical-ocean-health/
"The ocean absorbs at least one quarter of emitted carbon dioxide, which increases the acidity of seawater through chemical reactions. Many marine species are highly sensitive to these changes, as they can only tolerate narrow ranges of pH. Oysters, clams and other shellfish are especially vulnerable because acidification make it more difficult for them to form the calcium carbonate that comprises their shells. Corals also struggle to build their skeletons in acidified water, to the detriment of the highly diverse array of species that depend on coral reefs."

The world spends 10 million dollars a minute to subsidize fossil fuels

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/06/16/1393362/-The-world-spends-10-million-dollars-a-minute-to-subsidize-fossil-fuels
"10 million dollars a minute that's 5.3 trillion dollars, more than the entire health spending of all the world's governments!
The picture is becoming clear. The reason fossil fuel extractors have been able to rule the world for the last century is because they are getting away with murder, literally. There are no consequences for the destruction they have caused to the health of the planet and to the health of our species."

Secretive Donors Gave U.S. Climate Denial Groups $125 Million Over Three Years | Alternet

Secretive Donors Gave U.S. Climate Denial Groups $125 Million Over Three Years | Alternet

"Organizations funded through the secretive donors operations are also working to roll back measures promoting wind and solar power and block planning for future sea-level rise in state capitals."


Republicans Attack Pope Francis For Caring About Climate Change

Science: If Your State Government Is Pro-Environment, You’ll Have Cleaner Air

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/06/16/3670127/state-environmentalism-emisisons/
"A state legislature’s strong environmental voting record can translate into real results for states, according to a new study.
The study, published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, looked at greenhouse gas emissions data for all 50 states going back to 1990. Researchers then compared that emissions data to a range of other factors, including the environmental record of state legislators — determined by the League of Conservation Voters scorecard system — employment rate, and population. The researchers, both from Michigan State University, found that there was a correlation between the voting records of legislators and a state’s greenhouse gas emissions."

Harnessing Energy from Ocean Waves

Environmental Movement Is Achieving Cleaner Air in Key States | Alternet

Environmental Movement Is Achieving Cleaner Air in Key States | Alternet

"States with strong green voices perform better on cutting emissions whereas those with climate skeptic views fare poorly."

Watch: Bernie Sanders DESTROYS Republican Climate Change Deniers In 2 Minutes

http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-bernie-sanders-destroys-republican-climate-change-deniers-in-2-minutes/
"Sanders then compares the artificial debate surrounding climate change research to the campaign funded by tobacco companies to convince America that smoking wasn’t harmful, which is a very striking way to look at it. The fossil fuel magnates who have the most to lose from carbon emission reduction have already bought themselves the Republican Congress, and they’re using the GOP as a mouthpiece to propagate a false narrative about global warming and its existence."

NASA: Earth is drying up

Pope Francis: Humans Are Turning the Earth Into an "Immense Pile of Filth"

http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/06/pope-encyclical-climate-change-inequality
"A very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system."

How Scott Walker Dismantled Wisconsin's Environmental Legacy

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-scott-walker-dismantled-wisconsin-s-environmental-legacy/
"As governor of Wisconsin, the likely Republican presidential nomination-seeker consistently dismissed science and sided with polluters"

Mitch McConnell And The War On The Environment

http://samuel-warde.com/2015/06/mitch-mcconnell-war-environment/
"Instead of protecting the citizens of his own state and those residing in other states, it is obvious from the get-go that McConnell and the Republican Party as a whole are more intent on protecting corporate interests."

New research sounds alarm on global water supply

Friday, June 19, 2015

NASA: The Earth is Running Out of Water | Alternet

NASA: The Earth is Running Out of Water | Alternet

"More than half of Earth’s 37 largest aquifers are being depleted due to population and climate stresses."

NOAA: Hottest May, Hottest Spring, Hottest Year-To-Date On Record By Far

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/06/18/3671271/noaa-hottest-may-spring-record/
"NOAA’s latest monthly report on global temperatures confirms that we are headed toward a record-smashing year."

5 Incredible Breakthroughs in Pot Science That Mainstream Media Is Finally Paying Attention To | Alternet

5 Incredible Breakthroughs in Pot Science That Mainstream Media Is Finally Paying Attention To | Alternet

"The recent shift in public opinion about marijuana has propelled a historic heave against the research blockade."

Protesters rally as Shell preps to probe Arctic for oil

How Pope Francis just destroyed the GOP’s religious con artists

How Pope Francis just destroyed the GOP’s religious con artists

"the GOP is more interested in exploiting religion to oppress, restrict and demonize. This really what’s freaking them out. And after Thursday, the rage will be thick and it’ll set new records for ugliness."

Pope Francis Lights Up Twitter Today With Climate Change Truth Bombs

Pope Francis Lights Up Twitter Today With Climate Change Truth Bombs

"For the last several hours, he's been tweeting key points from his encyclical to his 20+ million Twitter followers."

Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld Freaks Out Because Pope Francis is Actually Acting Like a Christian (Video)

Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld Freaks Out Because Pope Francis is Actually Acting Like a Christian (Video)

"Since the accession of Pope Francis to the head of the Catholic Church, Republicans haven’t been too happy. That’s ironic considering that not only is Pope Francis arguably the most popular pope in modern history, but he’s the most “Christ-like” pope – possibly ever. He’s based a large part of his time in power on helping the poor, preaching acceptance and even supporting the idea that humans need to take care of the planet that God gave them. Naturally, Republicans have been upset by pretty much all of this."

Coal industry provides Congressional Republicans with some handy anti-pope talking points

Coal industry provides Congressional Republicans with some handy anti-pope talking points

"Coal lobbyists aren’t the only ones throwing shade at the pope: in the New York Times, Michael McKenna, “a Republican energy lobbyist and political consultant who described himself as a conservative Catholic,” reassured himself that “this guy is not in sync with the American Catholic Church.” Yet, as reporter Coral Davenport was quick to point out, 86 percent of American Catholics say they view the pope favorably — and their opinions about climate change are broadly in line with the rest of the country’s."

The Pope's Climate Change Call

One Big Fact Media Are Missing On Jeb Bush, The Pope, And Climate Change

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/06/17/one-big-fact-media-are-missing-on-jeb-bush-the/204033
"the media should be covering Bush's remarks in the context of a closed-door meeting he held with coal industry CEOs earlier this month -- an important piece of information that could shed some light on who Bush is actually getting his "economic policy" from when it comes to climate change."

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Senate Republicans Just Literally Voted Against Clean Water

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/06/11/senate-republicans-just-literally-voted-against-clean-water/
"Pro-pollution Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works committee voted 11-9 Wednesday to pass a bill that undermines the administration’s recently announced protections against polluting our nation’s waterways.
In a straight party-line vote, Republicans once again displayed their wanton disregard for what Americans want: Clean water."

Wow! Fukushima Leak Could Cause an Explosion?

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Our Stupid House Of Representatives Goes After Migratory Birds

Our Stupid House Of Representatives Goes After Migratory Birds

"You might wonder why Rep. Duncan felt led to launch an all-out offensive on migratory birds, which include the American Bald Eagle, that iconic symbol of liberty. It was all about the oil companies. From his Congressional website, explaining his "All of the Above Approach to Energy:"

Reduces the fines for energy producers whose operations accidentally kill non-endangered migratory birds.

Evidently Duncan felt that didn't go far enough, so he just gutted protections for all migratory birds, whether or not they are endangered.

Your idiot Congress at work."

Friday, June 5, 2015

Obama Pushes New Environmental Protections, So GOP Comes Out In Support Of… Pollution

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/06/05/obama-pushes-new-environmental-protections-so-gop-comes-out-in-support-of-pollution/
"It further proves the Republican Congress that Obama now has to deal with has jumped the shark entirely. Their hatred toward the president is so great that even things like clean water must be sacrificed if they think they it can hurt the Obama’s legacy. Their governing style isn’t to govern at all. It’s purely disruption."

Republicans set sights on the Endangered Species Act

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/06/04/1390407/-Republicans-set-sights-on-the-Endangered-Species-Act
"Republicans in Congress have a problem. They badly want to get rid of the Endangered Species Act, one of the most successful conservation laws we have for protecting endangered wildlife from going extinct. But unfortunately for them, the law works and is wildly popular with the American people.
Their solution? Keep the law, but gut it beyond recognition and make it totally ineffective by adding burdensome new restrictions and allowing local politicians to overrule science whenever they feel like it."

Scott Walker’s Baffling War On Bikes

http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/06/03/3664754/scott-walkers-war-bikes/
"In just one year, Wisconsin’s bike friendliness ranking from the non-partisan League of American Bicyclists dropped from the third best in country to ninth. If the state legislature approves Governor Scott Walker’s budget, which slashes funding for bike infrastructure, boosts spending on freeways and imposes a new tax on bicycle sales, the ranking could plummet further.
As Governor Walker prepares for a likely run for the White House, he’s been traveling the country touting his record of slashing taxes on corporations and the wealthy, saying he has “put more money back in the hands of the hardworking taxpayers.”
Yet Governor Walker and his allies in the Madison statehouse have found one corporate sector where they’re willing to raise taxes: bicycles. Though they have been hesitant to hesitant to consider boosting taxes on gasoline or vehicle registration fees, state lawmakers have been pushing a $25 tax on the sale of all new bicycles in the state, on top of the existing sales tax."

Utah Lawmaker Accused Of ‘Illegal Scheme’ To Seize America’s Public Lands

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/06/02/3665047/ken-ivory-public-lands-complaint/
"A watchdog organization filed complaints against a Utah state representative on Monday for allegedly leading “an illegal scheme to defraud local government officials out of taxpayer funds” to finance a campaign to seize America’s public lands.
The complaints, filed by the Campaign for Accountability (CfA), request that the attorneys general of Utah, Arizona and Montana investigate state Rep. Ken Ivory (R) for “solicit[ing] funds from local officials, falsely claiming the federal government can be forced to transfer public lands to the states.” The complaints cite Ivory’s use of his role as president and founder of the American Lands Council (ALC), a Utah-based organization, to “enrich” his personal wealth and make “false or fraudulent representations to obtain money"."