Ford Announcement is Harbinger of Avalanche of New EV Models are on the Horizon from virtually every Major Automaker
With today’s scheduled announcement of a new Ford Mustang EV and a slew of other companies rushing into the fray, the transition into more sustainable automotive transportation has gone into hyperdrive.
Since it’s founding in 2003, Tesla has been about two things: all electric zero emission electric cars and making them fun, fast and sexy.
The genius of this cannot be overstated. In retrospect, it can even be said that the auto industry intentionally tried to make EV’s, to the extent that they were developed at all, an experience like eating broccoli while everyone else at the table feasted on a cornucopia of delights. The idea appeared to be to intentionally fail and thereby take away the need for EV’s to be produced at all (and ICE vehicle production to continue uninterrupted)
Elon Musk and Tesla put a stop to all that. Facing incredible resistance and negative press bordering on sabotage, nevertheless the company persisted and stuck to the concept: EVs must be not only have a long range and be powerful but also be fast and fun like hell to drive.
Also, could it be that all the boring, staid productions and designs were built specifically to fail? That the fossil fuel industrial complex wanted to perpetuate itself (automakers included) and stop or at least slow down the transition to EVs?
For years, there was not much more than a trickle of projects at other manufacturers trying to follow suit. No more. Not only are there huge and growing numbers of new models either in production or soon to be produced, but longer term commitments and infrastructure investments, particularly by the top German automakers are being announced virtually by the day.
Theses commitments follow not only close attention to the sales numbers and successes of Tesla’s Roadster, Model 3, S and X, but, with a high likelihood, huge companies are seeing that the tide is turning in awareness of the need for sustainable energy infrastructure among the general public.
Although there is plenty of debate as to whether battery based individual cars can be powered by primarily sustainable energy sources (Solar, wind, etc), it is clear that reducing CO2 emissions by phasing out, and eventually eliminating, ICE vehicles is a positive step forward.
Photo / Tesla
The Future can’t wait, and thankfully, Elon and Tesla Survived and Brought us All to this Moment
But the genius and power, seldom singled out for praise of any kind (even among Tesla fanatics), in finding “sexy” ways to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels and of waging war against the capitalist world that itself created the problem of Global Warming, is mind-bendingly fantastic.
While this sounds almost insane at first blush, Elon Musk and Tesla are proving that, by focusing on making products that are not only environmentally progressive but also attractive to consumers, (using a marketing style straight out of Apple and Steve Jobs playbook) the “free market” can bring extreme pressure to bear on polluting fossil fuel behemoths and force them to change.
The brilliance of this is deep and formidable. In the end, it is “the people” that must stand up and act to change the ways that we travel and use transportation. It has been clear for half a century that a “top-down” approach where a kind of energy austerity is forced on the public is not possible and would bring great hardship. And voluntary change by the power structure went virtually nowhere in the last 50 years.
Why not find ways to make sustainable energy solutions and products that improve the transportation systems into aspirational objects of desire and status? Why not make green more than just politically correct but also cutting edge and satisfying to the lifestyles of the affluent and mobile in the G7 member countries?
Tesla Store in Hamburg, Germany
One Step Forward is better than Excuses not to Act, which has been the Stance of Government and Industry until now
And so what if battery factories are not yet able to run on 100% sustainable energy sources? Isn’t it better to start now and accelerate the transition to a better way? Tesla is also a solar company and a battery manufacturing company and is doing everything possible to upgrade all available technology to make its entire operation more completely sustainable and “green”.
Wouldn’t it be fantastic to see the rest of the auto industry (and indeed other industries and companies) to follow this path of prioritizing sustainable energy production and use?
Now, today, we see that a miracle has happened. Using great technology and product designs and marketing them with emphasis on the driving pleasure, speed and sexy fun, just as much as the environmental benefits Tesla has pulled and prodded the rest of the auto industry toward the future, and forced them to abandon all efforts to delay or impede the transition to sustainable energy in automotive transport.
In a war with a single company / entity against almost literally the entire world infrastructure, the war was won by the underdog, hands down.
Perhaps this is a lesson for the future: that winning the hearts, minds and the wallets of the general public, by creating products people love, can be an even better catalyst for positive change, than preaching suffering and guilt while clinging to the obsolete structures of the past.
You can watch the live unveiling of the Mustang Mach-E at 5:15 PM (PST) Nov. 17, 2019 below:
If you’ve missed our recent coverage of the climate crisis, here’s a compilation of some of our noteworthy articles that’ll help you get up to speed on the issue, especially in regards to how global citizens and celebrities are getting involved in the movement for climate action.
Collage of various photos from the life of Jane Fonda
Joining Greta Thunberg, Jane implores us all to act ”like our House is On Fire”
The Fossil Fuel Industrial Complex does not like Celebrities or Movie Stars speaking out against the crime of doing nothing about the threats of climate change. They will scream “hypocrite” or claim, through paid-for pseudo scientists, that the data is “inconclusive”, then willfully, and perhaps illegally, hide the truth for decades. None of this will stop the shift toward grass roots action and now Jane Fonda is at the forefront, which is not surprising.
Of all people, Jane Fonda is no stranger to activism. She has advocated on many fronts throughout her life including protesting war, violence, discrimination and now her current focus is on the climate crisis.
At Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards, Fonda stated that she hasn’t met Greta Thunberg, but that her life has changed because of her. She further reflected in an interview on how compelled to action she became, inspired by the young climate fighter.
“She urged us to get out of our comfort zone and stop behaving like business as usual, and that’s what inspired me to move to D.C. and join with students. And I thank you so much for the courage of what you are doing. We can’t leave it to young people. It wasn’t their fault. We have to stand alongside them.”
– Jane Fonda
Fonda then helped to launch the climate crisis campaign called Fire Drill Fridays. The name was inspired by the book “On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal” by author Naomi Klein and the stand out quote from Greta “act like your house is on fire”. The actress then uprooted her life to move to Washington in order to protest on a weekly basis each Friday for a total of 4 months. Jane aims is to bring continued awareness of the climate crisis and advocate for the Green New Deal, an initiative aimed directly at the climate crisis that lays out demands to phase out the use of fossil fuels and completely be replaced with 100% renewable clean energy by 2030.
Her protests and engagement in civil disobedience on Capitol Hill have thus far resulted in five arrests, with another arrest on the 15th almost a certainty. Fonda has even brought several of her celebrity friends to join in the cause, all of whom have also been detained, including Rosanna Arquette, Catherine Keener, Ted Danson, and Sam Waterston.
instagram /@firedrillfriday
The Dark Side and Backlash towards Activists
Fonda has felt both sides of the spectrum in her many years as a political activist and resister; she has garnered much respect for her courage and bravery during protests at the U.S. Capitol, however the actress didn’t always hold positive public regard. Quite the opposite, almost half a century ago, Jane was heavily criticized, with some branding her as a traitor, and many harboring hate for decades after her protests surrounding the anti-war movement.
In 1972, Fonda took a trip to North Vietnam where it was revealed that the U.S. was unjustly bombing farmlands and targeting innocent people, during her trip she also spoke on Hanoi radio about the wrongdoings she had witnessed, sparking massive controversy. However the tipping point that drastically changed public perception of her for many decades stemmed from a photograph that she apologized for and yet was never forgiven by her critics.
In many ways this experience of negative backlash, which was particularly fierce due to her being a female movie star, makes her the perfect person to stand up to some of the same powerful forces she defied in her youth.
The fact is that the fossil fuel industrial complex has denied and deflected and at the same time perpetrated a crime against all of us, rather than contributing to sustainable alternatives, for at least 50 years. Who better to Join the ranks of those seeking to bring attention to this failure of government and industrial power elites than Jane Fonda, veteran advocate and icon.
In her “Fifth Act” at 81: Staying True to her Beliefs
Despite all of the ups and downs, Jane Fonda has endured during her life as a political activist. She, clearly, is not stopping. She is not backing down and will continue to use her celebrity to raise awareness. As an elderly woman, the actress is willing to risk continued arrests in order to call out to governments that continue excessive use and even promotion of fossil fuel systems that they must stop immediately.
With only a limited amount of years left for any of us to turn the fossil fuel disaster around – there is a countdown, that if not addressed will result in dire and irreversible planetary consequences. Scientists have sounded the warning bell time and again for years about global warming and the climate crisis, yet insufficient governmental action, and even willful resistance, to positive change has been the norm.
The fossil fuel industry have known for years of the negative environmental implications yet continue, in the name of profit, to cause increases the CO2 emissions to be dumped into the atmosphere. All through lack of support for alternatives and even active promotion of existing deadly technologies and systems.
Mass mobilization and civil disobedience including Fonda’s Friday Drill Fridays, Extinction Rebellion and big names like Greta Thunberg and Leonardo DiCaprio will, no doubt continue and increase. These and other positive grass roots actions are essential in order to force governments and private industry to finally wake up and listen, then take the drastic and immediate steps needed toward solving this global problem.
XR Celebrity Allies Demand from Governments ‘#WhereIsYourPlan’
As we head into election season, the impending climate crisis demands immediate action, especially by our world governments. Extinction Rebellion (XR) is well aware of this as they release this celebrity collaboration short film that calls for everyone to demand their government’s plan to address the climate crisis, with the hashtag #WhereIsYourPlan.
“Through voices representing a lifetime, aged 8 to 80, the film demands that leaders around the world act on the climate and ecological emergency, including stopping the destruction of our forests, our oceans and our wildlife, reducing to global zero carbon emissions within 10 years and in investing in a green economy.”
Extinction Rebellion
This globally significant film was developed by legendary filmmaker Richard Curtis and world-renowned British photography agency RANKIN. Curtis is known for the famous works that include “Love, Actually”, “Notting Hill”, “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Bridget Jone’s Diary”.
The celebrities featured include recognizable faces from “Downton Abbey” to “Love Island,” as well as Ellie Goulding, Jaime Winstone, Chris Packham, Daisy Lowe, Imelda Staunton, Stephen Frears, and Jim Carter.
Together, these high-profile entities from every generation raise their voices to unite everyone — no matter their race, age, gender, or nationality — against the current threat of the climate crisis. They stress that, collectively, we only have “one lifetime” to make an impactful change to evade the worst of what the crisis has in store at the current state of our environment.
From a Letter to the Media to a Video Message to the Government, XR Continues Fight Against Climate Crisis
This isn’t the first time that celebrities collaborated with XR in the campaign for climate action. Together, they wrote and signed a letter addressing the media, saying that they will not stop fighting for climate action no matter how many times the media tries to discredit the movement by inciting their unavoidable hypocrisy.
It’s not enough to wait for individual choices to line up with collective environmental values. We need mandated collective action against the corporate entities that continue to make matters worse for everyone on Earth, and this cannot happen without governments’ taking action on our behalf. Unfortunately, it takes a lot to get the government to collectively pay attention.
Even as XR continues to be banned from protesting by their own law enforcement in London, they refuse to let that stop them. On November 6th, they plan to defend their right to peaceful protest as the High Court delivers its official judgment on the Metropolitan Police’s decision to ban all XR protests in London during XR’s second week of the October Rebellion.
If you are still having trouble accepting the fact that climate change is real, then you are definitely not factoring in the overwhelming consensus of science. Earlier this week, the academic journal BioScience released a scientific research paper providing data from the past forty years, all pointing to the conclusion that our planet is currently in a state of climate emergency. Then, if the paper’s research is not enough on its own, perhaps the fact that over 11,000 scientists authorized it will help convince you.
At the bottom of the report, there are 11,258 signatures, all coming from different scientists across 153 countries and multiple disciplines. The paper’s multi-disciplinary approach creates room for a variety of evidence, demonstrating how global warming is effecting the planet from geological, biological, physiological, neurological perspectives and beyond.
This is also a wake up call about the fact that the science on climate change is no longer divisive. In science’s unbiased eyes, the Earth is in an unequivocal state of emergency.
“Climate emergency” is the exact diction that the paper uses to define the planet’s current situation. The words associated with climate change have evolved many times over the years. From “global warming” to “crisis,” language can certainly affect the way people think about the issue. The authors of this paper decided on “emergency” because it provokes more urgency than mere “change” but not as much chaotic hopelessness as “crisis.” After all, the purpose of the paper is to unveil proof and evoke action, not to have people helplessly bury their heads in the sand.
The paper outlines six major changes people must enact if they want to save the planet. Namely,
Implement massive energy efficiency practices and move to low-carbon renewables.
Reduce emissions of toxic pollutants such as methane, black carbon and hydrofluorocarbons.
Restore global ecosystems across reefs, forests, grasslands and more while preventing further biodiversity loss.
Reduce the consumption of animal products and opt for plant-based foods.
Focus less on economic GDP growth and more on sustaining ecosystems and human well-being.
Lower fertility rates to reduce the world population.
As the paper makes clear, these changes are hardly suggestions, but more like necessities at this point. If we do not alter our priorities in a timely manner, we will face the worst of climate change’s wrath and be utterly defenseless to it.
Like most realistic studies on the climate crisis, this paper is not for the faint of heart. It opts for harsh truth over optimism. That being said, the research is not without occasional glimmers of hope. The outline of solutions points us in the right direction. Similarly, the authors acknowledge recent surges in environmental protests and eco-friendly ingenuities across the world as ongoing positive changes. Data-wise, fertility rates are already dropping and more people are switching from fossil fuel burning to more sustainable, renewable energy practices. Likewise, even politics are slowly catching on to the issue, with the UK Parliament declaring a climate emergency and United States Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Earl Blumenauer and Sen. Bernie Sanders all introducing the Green New Deal to Congress.
The world is far from perfect, and more action is still needed if we want to combat climate change effectively. However, the science is nearly unanimous, and the debate surrounding the issue’s severity is no longer a point of contention. Now, we just need people in power to stand with science, believe in the facts, and put in place urgently needed changes to begin to find ways to save us all from possible extinction.
Climate Crisis Will No Longer Go Unnoticed as Global Civil Disobedience Breaks New Ground
It has been 170 years since American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau published “Civil Disobedience.” In the essay, he questions that in the face of unjust laws, “shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress at once?”
Today, an international rebellion is taking place, and by no coincidence, it is over the environmental matter of sustainability and reformation in the face of governmental inaction. The revolution is about climate change, and it is currently spearheaded by the global movement known as the Extinction Rebellion. The movement’s message is simple: “To the governments of the world, we declared a climate and ecological emergency. You did not do enough. To everyone else, rebel.”
The Extinction Rebellion began in the United Kingdom during May 2018. Their tactic is to use nonviolent civil disobedience to compel governments around the world to take action against climate change. The group’s three primary aims are to get the government to 1) admit to climate change’s reality and urgency, 2) take action to halt bio-diversity loss and carbon emissions, and 3) create legislation and a citizen’s assembly to continue combatting climate change in the future.
Global Mobilization is Only the Beginning as Celebrities & Everyday People Continue to Join the Cause
In the movement’s infancy, the Extinction Rebellion was only about a hundred British academics who signed a commitment towards activism. In late 2018, the group started its rebellion with a number of protests in London. Since then, it has grown to hundreds of thousands of participants from all around the globe.
Among the Extinction Rebellion’s supporters are Greta Thunberg and a number of celebrities, many of whom recently signed a controversial letter admitting to living hypocritical high-carbon emission lifestyles, but refusing to back down from the rebellion.
In 2019, the group has put on protests in cities across all six of the developed continents. Most recently, massive protests have taken place in Vancouver, British Columbia. Over ten of the Canadian protestors were arrested during these events. However, members of the Extinction Rebellion use arrests to their advantage. Basing themselves off of former historic protests, the group assimilates these tactics to the matter of climate change. Therefore, whenever a protestor is arrested, the rebellion can use it as publicity and evidence of oppression. Many of the arrestees so far have pleaded guilty to their charges, owning their actions as just given the cause.
From London to the Rest of the World, the Extinction Rebellion Will Not Be Stopped Until Demands are Met
Ironically, London, the city where the rebellion began, is now the first city to have banned Extinction Rebellion protests across the board. After a number of arrests and events that took a toll on the city, London declared the group’s protests illegal. Nevertheless, this is unlikely to silence Extinction Rebellion. Although their actions may create temporary inconveniences in local areas, their cause is combatting a potentially irreversible global destruction.
On the Extinction Rebellion’s website, they have over thirty future events lined up between now and the end of the year, and that is not even counting the smaller protests that may not be posted or pre-planned. Climate change is not going anywhere, and neither are the people committed to acting against it. The group’s symbol is an hourglass, representing the limited amount of time we have before climate change permanently affects our planet on a global scale. The clock is running out, and the Extinction Rebellion is determined to accomplish its mission. When will that be? Well, to quote Thoreau yet again, “when a subject has refused allegiance, and the officer has resigned his office, then the revolution is accomplished.” Therefore, when action against climate change is met, and those who deny its severity are overpowered by those who realize the truth, then the Extinction Rebellion will be accomplished.
Boomerang Mistake being made by Manufacturers Likely soon to face Backlash
Under former President Barak Obama, a number of environmental policies were pushed to lower carbon emissions and combat the climate crisis across the United States. Ever since Trump entered office, though, the White House has been working to rollback much of the eco-friendly progress that Obama helped make possible.
In response to Trump’s careless approach to environmental issues, the state of California has taken it upon itself to put a cap on carbon emissions, with Governor Gavin Newsom proposing fuel saving and zero-emission requirements for automobiles throughout the state.
Being the most populated state in the nation, California is known for its traffic-filled cities and its progressive-minded people. Currently, the state is also feeling the effects of global warming firsthand, with unparalleled wildfires, droughts, and coastline erosion taking tangible tolls on the state’s residents and natural beauty. Therefore, it makes sense for California to go after cars in the battle against climate change, and if Trump is not going to help the Golden State, then it will make the changes for itself.
California’s proposed statewide legislation includes calling for lighter and more eco-friendly fuel-efficient vehicles. The state wanted to uphold Obama’s stringent goal of a 54.5 mpg average by 2026 rather than Trump’s far more lenient 36 mpg target. While this fuel-efficient technology might make cars more expensive up front, it would actually help drivers save money in the long run as they would not have to fuel up as often—thus avoiding the daunting California gas prices and pleasing the everyday car owner.
But, of course, these proposed policies did not please car manufacturers. With California setting its own emissions standard apart from the federal standard, car companies feel that it would be too difficult and expensive for them to adapt their vehicles just to fit a single state’s independent regulations.
State vs Federal – Who will Win the Urgent Fight for Environmental Policy Reform in the US?
For these reasons, many car companies sided with Trump and eventually solidified the federal government’s standards as universal, barring California from creating its own separate policies. Among these car companies that backed Trump were General Motors, Toyota, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Mazda, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. These uber-wealthy corporate entities were powerful enough to sway policies against California.
Notice the irony, however, that hardly any of these companies produce American cars. Many of them are headquartered in Japan with the exceptions of Hyundai coming from South Korea and Fiat coming from Italy. General Motors is the sole American company on the list, and it is based in Detroit, over two thousand miles from the West Coast.
Despite the pushback, California is determined to continue fighting for environmental policy reform. Many of the state’s citizens and politicians alike are enthused about the idea of fuel-efficient and zero-emission requirements taking place. Even if Trump and an army of foreign auto corporations may have won this round, the Golden West is not giving up and will continue to campaign for constructive policies and initiatives in the ongoing battle against the climate crisis.
Looking for tangible evidence of global warming? According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, which studies temperature data from around the globe over time, this past month has been the hottest October on record, palpably indicating the world’s changing climate.
The EUCCCS’s records go back to 1979, and in their forty years of data, they have never had an October as hot as this year’s. 2019’s October was 0.69 degrees Celsius (1.24 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the average for the EUCCCS’s data. It was .01 degrees Celsius (0.018 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the previous warmest October, which took place in 2015.
Alongside October, 2019 also saw the hottest July on record, surpassing its 2016 predecessor. It was overall a record hot year. Each month in 2019 ranked among the top four hottest for the respective month. The past twelve years in total averaged 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.16 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than pre-industrial temperatures. This is particularly eerie considering that the Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change recently released a warning about the catastrophic effects of temperatures rising 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial levels.
It is also worth noting that all of the EUCCCS’s data is based on global averages. Thus, some areas of the world may have experienced a colder 2019 than average, but these are the outliers to the worldwide trend.
Of course, a 1.2 degrees temperature increase may not sound that alarming on the surface. However, this yearlong heat spike will actually have immense effects on climate change. The arctic ice will melt faster; wildfires will spread quicker; and biodiversity will diminish at accelerated rates. That is just to name a few of the ways such a small temperature boost might severely impact the planet if gone unchecked.
“what we need is for our rulers and politicians to listen to the research.”
In October, sixteen-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was selected to receive the Nordic Council Environmental Prize. The prestigious award is given once a year to a Nordic person, company, or organization that shows great initiative on the environment’s behalf. Winning it is an honor, filled with deep sentiment and 350,000 Danish kroner ($52,000). Greta Thunberg, however, is not interested in making money off of her cause, and she is way past sentiment.
In an Instagram post made earlier this week (see embed below), Thunberg expressed her gratitude for being offered the award, and she applauded the Nordic countries for their environmental ingenuities so far. However, she declined to accept the Council Prize, stating that “the climate movement doesn’t need awards” and that the governments handing them out should show their support by listening to science and creating more effective environmental policies.
She specifically called out the Nordic countries for the fact that despite their efforts, they could still be doing more to protect the environment. Bitingly, she posted, “In Sweden we live as if we had about 4 planets according to WWF and Global Footprint Network. And roughly the same goes for the entire Nordic region.”
Calling out the Richest Countries to do the most – and Lead the Way to Solutions
Thunberg’s declination to accept the award and its accompanying money is emblematic of her message—less rhetoric, more action. Instead of focusing on symbols, Greta campaigns for concrete change, meeting with world leaders to push for policies that directly combat the climate crisis.
During the time that she could have been accepting the award, Greta was doing what she does best: working restlessly on the other side of the globe. While two other climate activists spoke on Thunberg’s behalf at the Nordic ceremony, the young activist herself was in California, addressing the Golden State in the wake of its wildfires.
Thunberg has been a leading climate activist for over a year now. She dropped out of school to pursue this career on a global scale, inspiring many people to follow in her footsteps and realize how urgent of an issue climate change really is. We don’t know what the future holds for Miss Thunberg, but all indications are that we can expect it to be propitious, and will root for her no matter how many awards she receives or refuses.
Pollution in DTLA from the 60s to Now: Smoke is the New Smog
Throughout the nineteen sixties, seventies, and eighties, a dark layer of photochemical smog clouded downtown Los Angeles. Produced by carbon emissions, this toxic smog came to define the city in many unflattering ways. Today, the smog is not as noticeable, however, a new kind of cloud has arrived to mask the face of La-La-Land yet again.
This time around, the cloud is composed of smoke from wildfires, and while this leftover smolder from burning forests may not be as immediately caustic as yester-decades’ smog, it could be more dangerous all the same, for it is a sign of California’s increasing vulnerability in the presence of the climate crisis.
Seasonal Wildfires in California Exacerbated and Turned Catastrophic by Climate Crisis
Wildfires in California, like hurricanes in the Deep South or blizzards up north, are somewhat seasonal. After a long, hot, and dry summer, the fires are only now starting to pick up, with an inordinate number of them taking place in the mountains around L.A. since the beginning of autumn. The region’s exceptionally arid landscape this time of year only helps the fires grow and travel at faster rates.
The reasons for these wildfires can vary, from natural causes to someone dropping a cigarette in the wrong place at the wrong time. Many of them are sparked by something immediate and unfortunate. However, their range, frequency, and ferocity can be linked to global warming—especially over the past few years, as the fires have become more intense and the effects of the climate crisis have been increasingly perceptible.
Indeed, a simple wayward cigarette could ignite a wildfire, but how much damage that fire does is determined in part by something far more elemental. As the climate crisis heats up the earth, things naturally become more flammable. The ecosystem is meant to respond to temperature spikes with additional moisture. Unfortunately, we have not experienced such compensation yet, and with the climate crisis being an unnatural phenomenon, it is unwise for us to expect the planet to respond in natural ways.
Wildfire Prevention is More than Putting Out a Spark, it’s Environmental, and California’s is Highly Flammable
Thus, a small spark can easily kindle a fire that quickly spreads over dry foliage with the wind. Although Los Angeles itself is celebrated as a land of perfect weather, its surrounding canyons produce gusts of wind up to 80 miles per hour. Because climate change has been significantly limiting nature’s innate defense mechanisms, the average area affected by wildfires has increased almost four-fold over the past few decades.
Likewise, longer droughts are also making California’s fire season lengthier. The season is an estimated two months longer than it was in the 1970s, and the longer the season, the more destructive it can be. California’s six most intense seasons on record have all occurred in the past decade, and fifteen of the twenty most extreme individual fires have all taken place since the year 2000.
Official Red Flag Warnings, Evacuations, and Power Outages? Only a Precursor to Future Extremes
Just last week, the fires caused the National Weather Service to issue its first extreme red flag warning ever. A testament to how bad California’s fires are, this unprecedented warning shows that the recent wildfires are on par with some of the worst storms and tornadoes in our country’s history. In fact, they may be even more treacherous.
Californians and Angelinos in particular have already faced evacuations and power outages as results of the fires—and that is just over the past few weeks. President Trump, rarely a champion of progressive environmental policies, has hardly addressed the issue as California’s state government scrambles to combat the blazing infernos on its own. Despite the situation’s intensity, though, it is but a bleak microcosm of what the future may look like if the climate crisis continues to go unchecked by politicians.
From Smog to Smoke, the Only Difference is the Extent of our Unnecessarily-Long Relationship with Pollution
The fires are at their worst in the canyons and hills surrounding Los Angeles, but from downtown, residents can notice the smoke blocking the mountains on the horizon. The air is filled with the pungent smell of burning wood and the skyline becomes hazier each day, returning the city to its smog-infested image of former decades.
Given that the smog was the result of fossil fuel burning and the fires are fueled by the climate crisis today, we can see that their resemblance is familial, and that the smoke from the California’s wildfires are the deformed son, the resurrected corpse, the Frankenstein’s monster of the undead smog and carbon emissions that we continue to carelessly release into our planet’s atmosphere.
After their Destructive Secret was out, Exxon Mobil had yet to face Accountability until Now
It is no secret that Exxon Mobil hasn’t been the kindest to the planet over the years. The big oil company is one of the nation’s most prominent gasoline providers, and fueling automobiles is the world’s leading purpose for fossil fuel burning and the foremost cause of greenhouse gas emissions.
For years Exxon has gone unchecked for the environmental damage they have done as a company—after all, they were never really doing anything illegal. However, former Exxon Chief Executive Officer and U.S. Secretary of State under President Trump, Rex W. Tillerson is currently in hot water. The man is facing two legal battles, one in New York and one in Massachusetts, for allegedly lying to investors about the risks and impacts of global warming.
The Case Casts the Primary Offense towards their Investors, not the Environment
At last, Tillerson may be held accountable, but these are not environmental trials per-se. Instead, they are hitting the oil tycoon where it really hurts: his wallet. And the cases are not about compensating for ecological destruction, but something far more pertinent to those who navigate the corporate world: money.
In both New York and Massachusetts, Tillerson is accused of knowingly providing investors with false information about the climate crisis. Reportedly, Tillerson sold climate change as underwhelming, insignificant, and perhaps even good for business. Meanwhile, he depicted Exxon Mobil as a champion of environmentalism. While the company does do some philanthropy in that area, these statements clearly omit some essential details, namely that Exxon does far more harm than good for the natural world.
It may be a Fraud Case, but Tillerson’s Case could be a First Step towards an Environmental Win
Thus, the trial is really just a fraud case, a dry instance of one person deceiving another for financial benefit. These cases happen all the time and usually do not garner much attention. Given Tillerson’s prominence, though, and Exxon’s dodgy history in the battle against climate change, this particular fraud case has made some noise. While Tillerson argues that the press attention is unnecessary, pandering, and based on corporate stigma rather than facts, many environmentalists are happy to see a big oil company put on the stand and questioned about its impact on the planet.
At the end of the day, the trial is mainly about money, but the larger implications of Tillerson having to answer for Exxon’s climate denial involves something much more significant. Trojan-horsed as a fiscal wrongdoing, Tillerson’s current predicament stands as a testimony to environmental justice and shows that rich business executives are not immune to consequences.
If all this is confusing, that’s probably because major corporations usually try to mask these muddy legal situations with jargon and loopholes in order to maintain their quality public images. Right now, however, Tillerson may be caught in a trap, and Exxon’s lies, deceits, and blatant disregard for scientific accuracy are finally becoming apparent in black and white, even if what really brought him to the stand is printed in green.
Does Admitting To Hypocrisy Absolve Celebs Who Support The Extinction Rebellion?
Earlier this week, many celebrities signed a letter admitting to being hypocrites for living high-carbon emission lifestyles while still advocating for environmental reformation. Put together by the Extinction Rebellion climate activist group, the letter speaks from the point of view of a celebrity activist. It acknowledges the fact that celebrities live environmentally inefficient and luxurious lives, often involving private flights, heavy transportation, and immense resources.
Nevertheless, the letter is not an apology. In fact, it is not even a promise for personal improvement. It is simply a statement, an acknowledgement from those who signed it that despite their environmental imperfections, they will not be silenced and will continue to fight for climate action. It explains that celebrities may indeed be hypocrites, as the entertainment industry oftentimes leaves a huge carbon footprint. However, it states that this should not change the fact that politicians must listen to science and prioritize policies that combat the large, systemic environmental issues at hand.
All of this rings true and fair, but a lingering question still remains—does this admission of hypocrisy really absolve these celebrities from not doing their individual parts and leading such environmentally destructive lives?
Enacting Change takes more than Rhetoric – Action by Governments and Industry must be Demanded
Of course, climate crisis is such an enormous issue that in order to effectively combat it, action must take place on a global, intergovernmental level. At the same time, though, doesn’t every individual also have a responsibility for leading an environmentally conscious life?
The idea that the letter would preemptively remove the accusation, so often used by the media, that celebs are nothing more than hypocrites and should stay out of politics is a good one. Ultimately, even the richest and most privileged among us will suffer when the earth is destroyed. Through their special influence and status they must push even harder for systemic change at the level of government and industry.
Celebrities Can and Need to do So Much More than Bring Awareness
None of this is to say that celebrities should give up their efforts to speak out about the climate crisis. Celebrities can be immensely influential people, and therefore their words could very much instigate positive change. Nevertheless, the letter gesture cannot help but feel a little conceited. After all, given these celebrities’ influences, their personal actions could speak just as loud as their words.
Established actors and filmmakers who signed the letter could create change within their unions to make the entertainment industry less wasteful. The same could go for musicians, athletes, models, broadcasters, designers, and public figures in all walks of life. Given their position, these figures’ actions could do much more than the average citizen’s efforts to turn off the lights, recycle, or invest in a hybrid car. Celebrities can use connections in their fields and beyond to instigate tangible, large-scale changes. This tactic could effectively combat the issue on the systemic level that they advocate for.
Over a hundred celebrities have signed the letter so far. Among the famous names are actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Thom Yorke, and Jude Law, Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuaron, Adam Clayton of U2, David Byrne of The Talking Heads, and many, many more. Obviously, we applaud these celebrities for being vocal about the climate crisis and using their influence to combat it. At the same time, though, hopefully that this letter does not act as a modern moral indulgence, and that they realize this admission to hypocrisy is at least a first step in taking on more and bigger ecological responsibilities.
Over the past year, in the face of a rapid increase in the threat of CO2 emissions and its effects on the climate, various groups and activist organizations have staged demonstrations in response to a lack of any solutions or action from governments and industry leaders worldwide. Curiously, real reporting that makes the important connections between the causes, the extreme weather events and the demonstrations into account is scarce.
Global Scale Mobility to Save Planet Earth
The week of September 20-27, 2019, we saw a record of 7.6 million people around the world take to the streets and strike for climate action. This is by far the largest assembly of people mobilized for an ecological cause in history.
The Global Climate Strike shows that there are clearly a significant number of people motivated to challenge the status quo and, potentially, spur an accelerated end to the fossil fuel era. People’s Climate, Rise for Climate, Fire Drill Fridays, are just a handful of the hundreds of organizations that have formed (and will continue to form) in recognition of, and in direct response to, the emerging ecological emergency.
From Jakarta to New York, Karachi to Amman, Berlin to Kampala, Istanbul to Quebec, Manila to Mumbai, Guadalajara to Asunción, in big cities and small villages, millions of people joined hands and raised their voices in defense of the climate. These large numbers are speaking out and showing concern in order to raise awareness and bring attention to both the problem and the lack of an adequate response from those in power. The least the media can do is acknowledge the overwhelming numbers and help by shining a light on the issue.
Record Breaking Extreme Weather Events and Evidence of Catastrophic Potentials
Extreme temperature swings from both extremes are happening. July was the hottest month in recorded in history worldwide since record keeping began over 400 years ago. Earlier this month, in Denver, Colorado, was one of the greatest temperature changes in the city’s recorded history of a 64 degrees range; with temperatures at 83 degrees in the a.m. dropping all the way down to 19 degrees. These are just a couple of examples, however, extreme data confirming the danger is being reported by scientists and researchers with increased regularity all over the globe.
Hurricanes and floods are getting larger and more frequent. Research by The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and The Union of Concerned Scientists have found that hurricanes and storm systems have increased in the level of intensity over the past decades. Scientists anticipate further and significant intensity increases, along with warmer ocean temperatures and higher sea levels, as a result of global warming trends. The ocean is facing a multitude of severe damage symptoms and dangers beyond the sea-level rise predicted, and that itself could wipe out major cities around the world. Five storms this year: Hurricane Barry, Dorian, Imelda, Melissa and most recently Nestor have all directly impacted the United States.
Fires have devastated the lowlands in Bolivia, destroyed thousands of acres in Plumas National Forest in the US, droughts result in fires in several parts of Australia, and the list goes on. California is preemptively shutting down power systems as they try to reduce the fire danger during high wind, low humidity conditions.
Greta Thunberg and Celebrity Activists
A growing number of famous activists and celebrities have been putting faces to the fight against the global climate crisis.
With her extensive news coverage, Greta Thunberg is the face at the forefront of the climate action movement. In August,she travelled by sailboat to the U.S. from Europe. This raised awareness for her campaign to bring attention to the Climate Crisis. A huge boost to her profile came with the now-famous/historic speech at the U.N. in late September.
"It's time to act like the house is on fire, because it is."@GretaThunberg
Leonardo DiCaprio is well-known for his dedication to environmental activism, and he hasn’t slowed down. Even in 1998, he established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation to “restore balance to threatened ecosystems, ensuring long-term health and well-being for all Earth’s inhabitants.” So far, it has funded over 200 environmental projects and awarded 85 million euros in grants. He’s also spoken about the climate crisis at the Davos economic forum and with the United Nations.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle recently revealed that they decided to have only two children to help protect the environment against the “terrifying” effects of the climate crisis. The royal couple have also taken significant actions outside of their marriage to fight against the climate crisis.
Celebrities: Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, Will and Jaden Smith, Emma Thompson, Martin Sheen, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Radiohead, Robert Redford, Billie Eilish, Chris Hemsworth, Kerry Washington, Janelle Monáe, Chris Evans, James and Suzy Amis Cameron, David Attenborough, Matt Damon, Dave Matthews, Laurie David, Marshall Herskovitz, Alan and Cindy Horn, Norman and Lyn Lear, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Begley Jr., Adam McKay, Bill Nye, Gwyneth Paltrow, Pearl Jam, Kevin Reilly, Pharrell Williams, Shailene Woodley and more are all fighting hard to contribute towards positive change with the climate crisis using their public platforms.
Over 100 Celebrities Back XR in Open Letter – Dear Media: Yes, We’re Hypocrites, but…
Last week, Extinction Rebellion had over 100 high-profile climate activists sign an open letter to the media to change the way that we relate to the global climate crisis. This record celebrity involvement with possibly the most militant and radical of climate crisis movements shows that its growth potential is as yet untapped.
Among the notorious names are: the actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Capaldi, Ray Winstone, Jude Law, and Sienna Miller, and as well as the musicians Mel B, Adam Clayton, Bob Geldof, and Jarvis Cocker.
Extinction Rebellion praised all signatories: “it’s easy to call out people for being hypocrites, but braver to talk about transforming how we relate to the planet.” So far, the way that we’ve been talking about our relationship to the planet is that it is each individual person’s fault for contributing to the climate crisis and that we are simply not changing our lifestyles enough to reduce our collective carbon footprint. And while this is partly true, the greater issue is that individuals are essentially given no other choice but to perpetuate the fossil fuel industry that runs throughout every facet of our livelihood. Meanwhile it has become clear that those that have vested interests in those systems will never voluntarily relinquish power, even if that means the eventual extinction of all life on earth.
Dear journalists who have called us hypocrites, you’re right.
We live high carbon lives and the industries that we are part of have huge carbon footprints. Like you – and everyone else – we are stuck in this fossil-fuel economy and without systemic change, our lifestyles will keep on causing climate and ecological harm.
There is, however, a more urgent story that our profiles and platforms can draw attention to.
Life on earth is dying. We are living in the midst of the 6th mass extinction.
OCTOBER 16, 2019 BY EXTINCTION REBELLION
The letter is essentially a statement against the mass media culture that calls out the hypocrisy of climate activists who have no choice but to participate in the toxic structures they aim to dismantle. It’s an innovative argument against these repetitive and unproductive cries of hypocrisy that get us nowhere but closer to our own looming extinction.
The letter draws attention to a deeper issue, much larger than, and clearly unsolvable by, addressing individual hypocrisy, and it points to an urgent problem that requires immediate unified action from our international governments and industry leaders.
XR – An International Rebellion, Calling for Immediate and Substantive Action
Extinction Rebellion (XR) is an international movement that aims to halt mass extinction, which is an increasing danger brought on by the climate crisis and global warming, and minimize the risk of social collapse through non-violent civil disobedience. So far, they have engaged protests in cities all around the world, including London, Dublin, Vancouver, and more to come.
Founders Roger Hallam and Gail Bradbook created Extinction Rebellion to bring people together to express collective power to bring about necessary ecological change. Their motto “Rebel for life” stems from the very real crisis that our world is under attack and we need to do something about it now.
The movement was formed just under a year ago, and it has sparked worldwide attention by highlighting the world’s imminent collapse. Their vision on their official website, rebellion.earth, states: “We rise in name of truth and withdraw our consent for ecocide, oppression and patriarchy.
We rise up for a world where power is shared for regeneration, repair and reconciliation.” Their logo symbolizes the current state of mass extinction: an hourglass in the middle of the earth highlighting that time is running out and the earth is dying. The black coloring is also intentional and represents the color of mourning.
PHOTO / VLADIMIR MOROZOV / “BLACK ROCK IN LONDON, UK”
Meaningful Action Comes from Breaking the “Business As Usual” Mentality
In one form or another, most people can get behind the notion of doing “better” in regards to how we treat our planet, but Extinction Rebellion is taking that concept to another level: one of urgent action. Their stance is that our governments have failed us, and they continue to do little to nothing to address the climate crisis. In response, XR has taken a public and open defiance against the government, and they vow not to stop until their demands are met.
Their mass-coordinated events happen frequently, whether for inducting and training members regarding how to handle police presence, fundraising and organizing “rebel ringers”, facilitating global meditations, or targeting strategic locations for demonstrations. Their protest campaigns initially started in and around the UK, and now, even more are significantly being seen worldwide, in multiple countries and continents: XR is very much an international movement.
Their concept is to work outside our failed system because the government is currently unresponsive regarding what is truly happening to our planet. They do this by creating disruptions to the government sectors status quo, which is seen when XR shuts down roads, bridges, creates blockages, spills fake blood (the blood of our children), fake oil, or even super-gluing themselves to government buildings.
In whatever they do, their point is to make a drastic and bold statement that this is a planetary emergency. The disruptions are not meant to incite, but rather to maximize public exposure to garner more people to join the cause for change. Protesters are willing to uproot their lives and liberties, often getting arrested, just to join forces with others and call on those that can make actionable changes to save us and our future generations from a dying planet.
PHOTO / YAZ ASHMAWI / “RED BRIGADE ON THE UNDERGROUND”
XR’s Demands for Earth Rescue:
Extinction Rebellion has 3 main demands, which also encapsulate the general demands of the entire climate action movement. The first is to “Tell the Truth.” Governments must stop denying or hiding the fact that there is a very real and threatening ecological crisis, and they must properly and honestly declare the climate emergency.
The second is to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by the year 2025, by reducing green house gasses and preventing losses in biodiversity.
And finally, to insure a lasting effect, the creation of a Citizen’s Assembly, which would include ordinary educated people to lead in the decision-making processes for enacting innovative climate and ecological justice.
These movements are a multifaceted phenomenon that will not fade away and could soon become the largest sociopolitical movement the world has ever seen. And with each non-coincidental catastrophic weather event, the backlash against the entrenched “fossil-fuel industrial complex” will grow in size and influence.
“Global warming causes major damage to the global economy and the natural world and engenders risks of catastrophic and irreversible outcomes”
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND, 10TH OCTOBER 2019
The number and size of ‘in-your-face’ protests will also increase. It will soon be impossible to ignore the reality of the climate crisis, as it unfolds before our eyes, and more and more people around the world will recognize the threat of almost certain global extinction, if we do not take immediate action to change the underlying corrupt systems immediately.
Right now, there are countless scientific and technological advancements that are available to give us another choice to save ourselves and our planet, and yet, nothing is happening because the powers-that-be are too complacent or corrupt to act. They continue to hide behind the media’s ignorant cry of celebrity and activist hypocrisy thereby blocking any meaningful change.
The Time to Act is Way Overdue: The Thin Line between Survival and an Uncertain Future Existence is in Immediate Action
Since the industrial revolution, there has been a struggle escape the system that threatens our collective survival, and now we desperately need a way out. The climate IS changing, whether it manifests overtly by droughts, flooding, heat waves, storms, melting polar caps or any number of catastrophic events. The chosen path should be obvious: one that works with sustainable energy, ‘zero-waste’ innovations and ultimately finding ways to halt any further planetary abuse.
“Right now, we are facing a man-made disaster of global scale. Our greatest threat in thousands of years. Climate change. If we don’t take action, the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon.”
Sir David Attenborough, 3rd December 2018
The XR, along with other Climate Crisis Inspired movements will inevitably and unquestionably grow with each new extreme weather event, and this “battle” between those who are fighting for the planet and those who block progress will become the central issue of our time.
As a critical mass approaches, grass roots movements will increase in power and, hopefully, their influence will mark the beginning of a permanent change away from the human behaviors that created this crisis.
Tesla Shares Make a Surprise Comeback and Soar 21%
Tesla’s third-quarter profit results released on Wednesday, October 23rd surprised investors after a long-time series of doubts about the company’s ability to compete with larger and better capitalized rivals in other parts of the world.
The company announced a $143 million profit third quarter profit in 2019, and that, by the end of September, Tesla had $5.3 billion in cash and cash equivalents along with $371 million in operating cash.
Additionally, after Chief Executive Elon Musk announced his promise of a 2020 rollout with a more affordable SUV and more self-driving technology, Tesla’s shares rose almost 21% to $307.12 within hours of the unexpected news.
This is obviously good news for both Tesla and its investors, but there are going be a few more battles needed to prove consistent profitability and to remain ahead of the market it was the first to establish.
“Given the breakneck speed of expansion, Tesla will face significant demands on its cash pile.”
Nicholas Hyett, Financial Analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown
So far, Tesla has shown significant increases in production efficiency while setting another record for deliveries led by Model 3. This, along with their new, cost-cutting Shanghai Gigafactory 3, holds promise that they’ll be able to meet these profitability demands.
Tesla Giga Factory 3 in Shanghai, China
Shanghai Gigafactory Increases Tesla Production Efficiency
After returning to profitability, Tesla revealed that its Shanghai Gigafatory is now ready to start producing EVs for China, the world’s most populated country. In fact, it’s already assembling full vehicles on a trial basis to work out a few regulatory kinks before official production begins.
Tesla released their Q3 2019 update and said “China is by far the largest market for mid-sized premium sedans. With Model 3 priced on par with gasoline powered mid-sized sedans (even before gas savings and other benefits), we believe China could become the biggest market for Model 3.”
As Tesla breaks significant ground in China, their sustainable influence reaches beyond North America, aiming for a greater presence on the global stage.
Solar Roof Tile V3: Affordable Sustainability = Accessible Sustainability
Elon Musk’s proposed third iteration of his solar roof tile products is now ready for sales.
During his company’s annual shareholder meeting in June, Musk promised that these solar tiles would have a significant improvement in performance and affordability. If you factor-in future utility savings and how much a new roof installation generally costs, the product would be on par with the cost of cheap, non-solar roofing tiles.
This is a significant development towards affordable, sustainable energy measures since Tesla first unveiled the product in 2016 and opened pre-orders in 2017.
Hopefully, once more information about this is made available, the sales will take off, thereby increasing the accessibility for many more homes to go solar.
Celebrities Took the Stage at Global Citizens Festival in Central Park…
Leonardo DiCaprio has consistently made strong statements in efforts to raise awareness of the Climate Crisis over the years. The actor spearheaded the issue in his 2016 documentary “Before The Flood” and even used the stage during his long-awaited Oscar acceptance speech to talk about importance of preserving our natural world. Clearly, the man is a passionate environmentalist.
On September 28th, 2019, DiCaprio spoke out about this issue yet again at the Global Citizens Festival in New York’s Central Park. In his address to the festival’s ~60,000 patrons, he reflected on the recent climate strike, paid tribute to its leaders such as Greta Thunberg, and condemned climate deniers.
The actor stated: “Last Friday, young people led the world in strike. Millions of individuals did more than simply walk out of their schools and places of employment. They took a stand. They set an example of true leadership that our planet so desperately needs. These young people have said clearly, definitively and without fear, that the time for inaction is over. Yet, surprisingly, some have reacted to this movement with insulting tweets and negative talking points: individuals that seem to care more about profit and their own self-interests than about your own future. But we know that the climate youth movement is more important and crucial than at any time in human history.”
Contemptuously, he denounced politicians and people in power who refuse to act on the climate crisis, and ended his speech reminding the audience that there is scientific consensus surrounding the issue and that its reality is no longer debatable.
Worldwide Concern is Expanding as Big Names Help to Draw Attention
In addition to DiCaprio, Natalie Portman, Forest Whitaker, Laverne Cox, Kal Penn, Alicia Keys, and Dakota Johnson all spoke at the Festival, each addressing a different cause and delivering a humanitarian message. Meanwhile, musical acts included Queen + Adam Lambert, French Montana, OneRepublic, Ben Platt, Carole King, H.E.R. and more.
The Global Citizens Festival plans on organizing additional events—one on each of the six developed continents. The next one will take place in Lagos, Nigeria and celebrities Miley Cyrus, Lizzo, Metallica and Billie Eilish have all expressed interest in appearing at it.
ICYMI: @RepEliotEngel joined thousands of us in Central Park at the end of September to celebrate the #GlobalCitizenFestival and to let Global Citizens far and wide know that he remains committed to ending extreme poverty through strong US foreign aid. #AidWorkshttps://t.co/8EfWieDdvQ
The New York Festival concluded with Coldplay front man and Festival curator, Chris Martin telling the crowd about the 2020 Global Citizen campaign. The campaign aims to raise money to help the UN reach the $350 billion it needs for its Global Goals for Sustainable Development.
All of this is very ambitious, but change will not come without initiative. The Festival garnered an overall feeling of hope—hope that change can come from the bottom up, and hope for a brighter future lead by passionate people who believe in the possibilities of the human spirit.
Young Environmental Activist Who is less Interested in Hope for the Future, but rather Change in the Present
Her recent speech at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, along with many inspiring voices, was perhaps loudest and most impactful of them all. She is a sixteen-year-old Swedish girl who is rapidly becoming a flash point for those in the movement to raise awareness of the global emergency of global warming and climate change. Her name is Greta Thunberg, and her goal is to evoke immediate change in the way the world is handling the climate crisis.
Born in 2003, Greta Thunberg dropped out of school at the age of fifteen to begin a career in environmental activism. Entirely self-motivated, Thunberg started out by protesting outside of the Swedish parliament building. Since then, she has spoken at Climate Action meetings around the world, criticizing leaders for a lack of effort and campaigning for transformation on behalf of the younger generation.
Greta has gotten the attention of many fellow activists, celebrities, and leaders over the past week, among them are Anne Hathaway, Leonardo DiCaprio, and former President Barak Obama, many of whom have met with her in person and all of whom have expressed their support via social media. This year Time magazine named her a “next generation leader” and many have pointed to her as an inspiring symbol of youth leadership.
Greta Thunberg’s Speech at the U.N. on September 23, 2019
Greta Thunberg’s intention is not to inspire hope, though, and she is not interested in waiting for the “next generation” to solve the environmental issues of today. Her speech from the Climate Action Summit went viral. In it, she cautions leaders not to feel hopeful, and instead urges them to “panic,” react, and change their ways now. She wants people to see the climate crisis for what it is—a crisis.
Urgency in Equal Measure to the Problem at Hand
Her veracious rhetoric is contrary to the diplomatic way that many activists and politicians talk about climate change. Given that we have known about global warming for generations, yet have made very little progress in preventing its effects, the human race may be beyond diplomacy by now. And if we aren’t already, we will be at a tipping point sometime within the young Thunberg’s life.
While many rebellious young people may throw education to the wayside to pursue dreams of becoming celebrities or attaining fortunes, Greta Thunberg simply stumbled into fame, and there is hardly any money attached to the work that she does. Thunberg may be inspiring many of her peers and becoming a face of change, but she is not in it for personal recognition or gratification. The young activist—who is also diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder—simply has an uncontrollable itch to save the world from this impending environmental catastrophe. Uncontrollable, yet absolutely rational.
Haters Hate but the Numbers of Believers is Rising
Despite all of the praise that Greta Thunberg has received, her efforts are not without criticism, particularly from the American far right and even President Trump. Some of her resistors are simply climate change-deniers who do not believe in the scientifically viable phenomena that she is combating. Others, however, scoff Greta for being a no more than a kid filled with teenage pathos that should not be taken seriously. Nevertheless, Thunberg’s speeches are well grounded in scientific evidence and on top of that, her emotions are perhaps reflective of how we should all feel, knowing that consequences for our destruction of the natural world are right around the corner.
In total, although Greta Thunberg is not aiming to evoke hope, but rather direct action when it comes to fighting climate change, we cannot help but applaud her bravery and get a surge of inspiration from her. With any luck, older generations will listen to her as but one among billions of young people who are concerned for the future, and actually do something about the problem. Until then, we salute Greta Thunberg and strive to do whatever we can as individuals to take her message to heart and make her efforts worthwhile.
Say what you want about radical engineer Elon Musk, but his companies have certainly produced some very innovative products over the years. None are perhaps as revolutionary as Tesla’s line-up of wildly popular and stylish electric vehicles that require no gasoline.
This past weekend, a beacon of progressive light shone through the clouds as two gas stations on different sides of the world got rid of all their fuel pumps and transitioned entirely to EV charging stations. One of the gas stations is in Norway and it is a branch of the global Circle K convenience store company. The other is a local gas station in Takoma Park, Maryland called RS Automotives.
This is significant, not due to the world adding two more charging stations, there are many already and Tesla’s network of stations is truly remarkable. The news here, however, is that these are stations that have decided to abandon gas, oil and, presumably, gasoline-based auto maintenance for EV charging and convenience. This is a trend that, hopefully, will accelerate.
In the wake of the UN 2019 Climate Action Summit, these initiatives are but small victories in the fight for environmental reformation. Nonetheless, we can take these updates as signs of individual improvement and solace. Either they are money-driven transformations reflective of more people turning to electric vehicles, or they are examples of non-money driven actions that we may need businesses to make in order to shift consumers in the superior, ecologically sensitive direction.
While gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles have been around for a while with popular older models such as the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight, Tesla stands as the first widely popular electric car that runs on zero fluids excluding the windshield-wiper fluid (or tiny amounts for cooling batteries). Instead of filling it up with gas, you charge it up like a phone.
Admittedly, charging up a Tesla can, in some situations, take a while— close to an hour if fully discharged and topped off (Tesla suggests 80% maximum at any time to promote battery health and longevity). Although over half a million Teslas have been sold since their first all-electric Model-S debuted in 2012, some people still assume that the time it takes to charge one up is Tesla’s greatest weakness.
The “Range Anxiety” debate is not new, and not entirely real
This “weakness” is part propaganda, part wishful thinking and part scare tactic. The reality is, pumping gas also takes time and if you add in a bathroom break and a short stop to grab a drink to go, a supercharger can approximate, with ease, the turn-around time. Not to mention the peace of mind that comes with using a fill-up (charge up) as a break from driving rather than a hurried gas smelling pit-stop.
Charging stations have been popping up more frequently across the country and the world in the last few years. Tesla, Volkswagon and some venture capital-based start-ups have made initiatives to put up tens of thousands more EV charging stations along highways and roads.
This trend can be seen as a canary in the coal mine moment for the demise of fossil fuel based transportation and, ultimately, the fossil fuel based economic model. The looming climate crisis, breaking out virtually every day into the news, is but one reason to cheer this development. There are many more and many CitCM moments to come.
Natural Magic of the Unseen and Wonders beneath our feet
Louie
Schwartzberg’s documentaries have always had to do with
seeing the world through different lenses. From his independent shorts
“Mysteries of the Unseen World” and “Moving Art: Forests”
to his Disney-backed butterfly doc “Wings of Life,” Schwartzberg has been
opening audience’s eyes to visual beauties hidden in plain sight.
His latest film, “Fantastic Fungi” takes this motif to the next
level, as Schwartzberg not only uses his distinct visual style deliver a
message, but that message itself is actually about our world beneath the
surface and our minds beyond our senses.
The topic, of course, is mushrooms, or rather fungi of all sorts,
the plantlike organisms that sprout from the earth and extend beneath our feet
in all different directions. As Schwartzberg documents, fungi are of unparalleled
importance to the natural world, and if used correctly, they could also help
people improve their perception of life on the inside and out.
The movie starts out standard enough, with Schwartzberg’s signature
time-lapses, landscape shots, and animations illustrating the awesome lives of
mushrooms in the wild. Over interviews with ecologists, journalists,
nutritionists, and more, the film shows how fungi’s roots are all connected beneath
the surface, creating an enormous active network of billion-year-old ecological
information that humans only understand the very beginning of.
Fungi’s potential is thus unpredictable. The natural sophistication
of mushrooms could make them an inherent resource for health, sustainability,
medicine, nutrition, and more. Their relationship with people is a beautiful
example of humans not just learning about, but learning from a different form
of life in its untouched place on earth.
Despite the intriguing topic, though, this first part of the movie
still feels kind of like a simple National Geographic special or something cut
out of a “Planet Earth” episode. “Fantastic Fungi” really distinguishes itself
in its second and third acts. After Schwartzberg introduces us to fungi in the
wild, he then delves into the ways humans use the organism for their own
advantage.
Here, the film obviously looks at the ways mushrooms can be used as
food and medicine, but it also talks about the ways that fungi preserve water
and adapt efficiently, making them potentially valuable resources in creating
revolutionary environmental progress.
Additionally, the film digs into the psychedelic
aspects of mushroom consumption, interviewing mental health councilors and
patients who use fungi as therapeutic tools. This is where the film becomes
meta, as the experience of taking psychedelic mushrooms is meant to play with
perception and ultimately make people feel extra clam or enlightened.
Maybe there’s more to Fungi if we Become One with them?
Perhaps gratuitously, this raises the question of what it would be
like to watch “Fantastic Fungi” under the influence of these mushrooms. Certain
films, particularly movies with intricate colors or visuals, are known for
being extra interesting when watched on psychedelics. Because “Fantastic Fungi”
has some very cool, high-resolution visuals as well as an illuminating message,
one could expect that watching the film with a mushroom-tinted consciousness might
be a transcendent existential experience. Given the subject matter, we cannot
help but wonder whether or not this was aesthetically intentional all along.
The film was featured at the Maui Film Festival’s Celestial Cinema
screenings. Along with Louie Schwartzberg as the movie’s director, Brie
Larson narrates the film and Mark
Monroe of “Before the Flood” and “The Cove” wrote the screenplay.
Monroe has written many documentaries that have to do with environmentalism and
the human body, most notably perhaps the Oscar-winning “Icarus,” which started
as a film about athletic doping in Russia, but eventually escaladed into a political
thriller.
“Fantastic Fungi” looks like it will be leaving politics at the
doorstep, though. Except for maybe a brief conversations regarding the legality
of psychedelics, the film looks will probably be a happy and hopeful movie, one
that not only teaches us an interesting lesson in ecology, but like a mushroom
trip itself, will open up our minds to possibilities we never considered
before.
A Growing Urgency and yet Denial Remains a Stubborn Reality
Coincidentally or not, corresponding with week’s nationwide climate strike, Mercury Films is releasing an environmental documentary focusing on the human impact on the planet. In “Anthropocene: The Human Epoch,” filmmakers Jennifer Baichwal, Edward Burtynsky, and Nicholas de Pencier travel to twenty countries across six continents to show the irreversible effects that human beings have had on the natural landscape.
While many environmental documentaries with such a global scale might focus on the earth’s beauty in order to get audiences to appreciate the planet, “Anthropocene” takes the opposite route, and looks at the some of Earth’s least flattering, most unnatural images. Rather than taking us to the mountains, prairies, or deep seas, the film shows us landfills, mines, power plants, refineries, and junkyards on both land and water, revealing the Anthropocene’s unavoidable and unattractive reality.
Anthropocene as a term denotes a new geological age, or epoch, in which humans are the primary influence on the natural world. With today’s hot debates about climate change and global warming, Anthropocene has become somewhat of a buzzword, but the term dates back to the 1980s when scientists Paul J. Crutzen and Eugene F. Stoermer first coined it. Evidently, the process has been going on for a while, but in the current day and age, the Anthropocene is increasingly hard to ignore, as the human footprint eats up more of the natural world and the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly tangible.
Photo / Mercury Films
Where are the Solutions and what can any of us do to Slow Down the Juggernaut?
The question on everybody’s mind, then, is how do we combat climate change? It is a lofty question that even the brightest of scientists and the most ambitious of politicians struggle to find consensus on. At the most basic, humanistic level, the answer might start with everybody doing their parts to live sustainably and spread awareness of the issue. From an artist’s perspective, that means of spreading awareness might come in the form of a painting, a novel, or a film.
Film has certainly had its bouts with addressing climate change in the past. Many documentaries from Al Gore’s revolutionary “An Inconvenient Truth” to Leonardo DiCaprio’s foreboding “Before The Flood,” have zeroed in on the issue. On the complete opposite side of the cinematic spectrum, the concept has even made its way into recent blockbuster movies such as “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Mission Impossible: Fallout,” both of which had eco-terrorists as their main villains.
It almost seems impossible to make a movie about the world and not have it relate to climate change in some way. Animal-focused docuseries like BBC’s “Planet Earth” or Netflix’s “Our Planet” may avoid people altogether, but their subject-matter always comes back to anthropogenic preservation. Similarly, documentaries working in other sectors of environmentalism, such as the recent “Supersize Me 2: Holy Chicken!” or “The Game Changers,” which focus on diet and nutrition, all circle back to the correlation between consumption and climate in one way or another. Clearly, the issue is deeply engrained in any conversation we might have about the environment, and with eco-criticism becoming a growing sector of theory and thought, audiences will start to notice the topic emerging in even more ways.
Watching “Anthropocene: The Human Epoch,” however, does not require a lot of deep thinking to realize that it is addressing global warming. The subject is made quite clear through the documentary’s unambiguous and straightforward expository mode.
Directors Baichwal, Burtynsky, and de Pencier are no strangers to this blatant style of informative documentary that focuses on pressing issues. The three have collaborated before on the award winning documentaries “Watermark” and “Manufactured Landscape,” both of which covered environmental topics. But while these two earlier films only touched on the concept of climate change and its effects, “Anthropocene” goes full-throttle, traveling far and wide to illustrate the harrowing impacts of this new epoch. It shows urban floods, melting glaciers, excavated canyons, and poached animals on the edge of extinction, all aiming to evoke an emotional response from viewers—none of whom are blameless for or exempt from this planetary phenomenon.
Photo / Mercury Films
What does it take to Wake Up a Population that Sleeps as the Threat keeps growing?
Nevertheless, as effective as “Anthropocene: The Human Epoch” might be in pulling on our heartstrings and making us fear for the future, one must question weather the environmental documentary is as impactful as people often make it out to be. Fourteen years have gone by since Al Gore warned us about global warming in “An Inconvenient Truth,” and since then countless documentarians have approached the topic from several different angles. Sadly, though, we are hardly any closer to an environmental reformation. The general public may have caught on to the issue’s severity, but many people—particularly people in power—still refuse to even acknowledge climate change.
This is not to say that “Anthropocene: The Human Epoch” or other films in the same vein are futile gestures. They are compelling and will likely inspire many people to live more environmentally consciously. However, as a society—or rather, as a human species—we should probably be past exposition and be making more progress in combating and adapting to the changes already going on in the world around us. As a film, “Anthropocene: The Human Epoch” is bound to be captivating and informative. As a piece of activism, though, the odds are unfortunately against it.
The calculation of the average global temperature was arrived at by measuring data from satellites, buoys, weather balloons and various other sources, daily and hourly, and then inputting that information into proprietary computer models.
Photo / The Copernicus Program
Next, the results were compared with other measurements taken by various similar climate research agencies around the world.
In case you are wondering, more modern and accurate global average temperature records have been kept for approximately 100 years. General record keeping goes back much further, for example, the recent heatwave in Europe broke high temperature marks dating to the 1500s, according to the Climatology Institute in Potsdam, Germany.
The warmest previous July in history was in 2016 and global average temperatures in July this year were at least as high, if not higher. Northern latitudes had particularly high temps, compared to the average from 1981-2010 including, Alaska, Baffing Island, parts of Siberia, and also, Iran as well as large parts of Antarctica.
Photo / Adobe Stock
Extreme Measures During Euro-Heatwave Required:
Heat across Europe was extreme and caused disruption and dismay during it’s recent severe heatwaves, in June and again in July.
It got so hot in Antwerp, Belgium, for example, that 2 suspected drug smugglers called the police to rescue them, after they accidentally locked themselves into a scorching hot shipping container, which also happened to be filled with cocaine.
Better than death by frying, apparently.
In areas of Germany, known for it’s stretches of autobahn without speed limits, limits were put in place, for the first time, in order to prevent cars from overheating and even damaging the roads themselves, while operating at high speeds.
In the Pairi Daiza Zoo in Belgium, bears were fed watermelons encased in blocks of ice, to keep them from potentially suffering heatstroke.
A wildfire burns in western Greenland on July 31, 2019. (Photo Credit / Orla Joelsen via Twitter)
Ice on Fire: This is Real
Arctic wildfires; yes, wildfires where there was once nothing but snow and ice, struck again. Again, that is, after a series of fires were reported in western Greenland in 2017.
Over 100 intense wildfires in the Arctic Circle were tracked by CAMS, part of the Copernicus program mentioned above, during June and July, 2019.
In June the fires caused 50 megatons of carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere, as much as the total yearly emissions for Sweden. Shortly thereafter in July, during the European heatwave, melting ice, also in Greenland, sent 197 billion tons of water into the Atlantic.
They call this a “melt event” and this summer there have been several of the largest on record, since at least 1950. Not because there was more melting in 1950, but because records have only been kept since that year.
It may well take years of these “melt events” to combine together and raise the world sea level, and endanger coastal cities around the globe, but if it is happening at all, that is alarming, in and of itself.
Since these kinds of ice melt events, such as we experienced this year, and a previous extreme event in 2012, are thought to occur only approximately every 250 years, therefore, already having seen two in less than a decade is a strong indicator that climate change is increasing the frequency of these, and many other anomalous weather patterns.
Last weekend it was New York, Boston and much of the rest of the US that was in a dire situation due to dangerous temperatures. Then, Europe took its turn. Twice. Anecdotal evidence builds, seemingly by the day, that the climate crisis is accelerating. Below we feature stories with a little more detail on the heat this week:
In the second extreme weather event so far this summer, Paris, hit an all time record high on Thursday, after the recent, record breaking heatwave in June. This time, the thermometer hit an unheard of 108.6 degrees Fahrenheit (which is 42.4 Celsius) and, since 30 degrees Celsius is considered extreme heat in Europe, this is a truly astonishing stat.
The blistering barrage is being felt as far west as Texas and north to Canada and even Alaska. The Great Lakes region and as far as Colorado and Kansas are also being affected.<p> The wave is being seen as a worsening of summer extremes related to the climate crisis. This, after France and Europe experienced all time record high temperatures and even the arctic seas are being monitored at unheard of temps.
Man refreshing himself in Public square under summer high temperature with Fire-hydrant
A week and a day after the metropolis endured a blackout affecting hundreds of thousands due to a transformer fire, another power outage has affected up to fifty thousand throughout Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx.
