Burn-ie At Coachella, Moose Migration Sensation, Origami Fish, and More!

Hey climate heroes! Welcome to The Climate Roundup, where we round up the change, er the news about climate and the environment. As part of the Gen E community, we thank you for making climate action part of everyday life. (Reading this newsletter counts!)

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In Pop Culture:

👨‍🎤 In a surprise appearance at Coachella 2025, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the artist Clairo and came in hot: “We have a president who thinks climate change is a hoax. He’s dangerously wrong. You and I are gonna have to stand up to the fossil fuel industry and tell them to stop destroying this planet.” On a weekend where the air was thick with vibes (and other things), Bernie reminded the crowd it’s high time for climate action.

Philanthropy At Work:

✊ WECAN (Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network) is helping lead the fight to shut down the aging Line 5 pipeline, which cuts through the Great Lakes and carries 22 million gallons of oil daily—threatening one-fifth of the world’s surface freshwater. The Army Corps just fast-tracked a proposed tunnel expansion, bypassing a full environmental review and public input. But WECAN continues to organize and is rallying support through the Stop Line 5 campaign—including an effort to break the world record for the largest origami fish display, as a creative approach to bring attention to this urgent issue. Making origami fish – perhaps a fun 4/20 activity?? We absolutely need to protect one of our greatest resources – the freshwater Great Lakes. We absolutely do not need more oil.

In Environmental News:

🦌 Colorado Is Building Highways for Wildlife: Colorado has built 28 major wildlife crossings over and under highways since 2015—making it a national leader in reconnecting habitats and reducing roadkill. Entire herds of elk and mule deer now use these crossings, along with bears, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, and foxes – oh my! It’s amazing how they know the safer route. In some areas, collisions have dropped by over 90%. These structures are working, and other states are finally starting to catch on. This is infrastructure that finally respects wildlife.

🦅 Threatened Species Could Soon Be Easier to Harm: The Trump administration is proposing a rollback to a key piece of the Endangered Species Act, changing how the law defines “harm” to protected animals. Habitat destruction would no longer automatically count—meaning more development projects could move forward, even if they indirectly displace wildlife. It’s a dangerous precedent that prioritizes industry over ecosystems.

🧊 Scientists Are Working to Regrow Arctic Ice: A group of scientists is testing a bold idea: using wind-powered pumps to spray seawater onto Arctic sea ice, where it freezes and thickens the surface. The goal is to help the ice last longer through the summer melt season. It’s an early-stage project, and researchers still need to understand how it might impact local ecosystems or scale up—but it’s a creative shot at slowing Arctic collapse. We’re glad people are out there fighting to protect what’s left of the ice.

💨 Trump Blocks Offshore Wind, NY Pushes Back: Trump’s vendetta on wind continues for no good reason. He’s halted construction on Empire Wind, a major offshore wind project off New York’s coast that’s expected to power 500,000 homes with clean energy. State officials and developer Equinor are gearing up for a legal fight to get it back on track. What makes this cancellation stand out is that it was already fully permitted, showing that all types of projects are at risk.

🏕️ REI Walks It Back: REI is doing damage control after endorsing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum—who’s now aggressively rolling back environmental protections under Trump 2.0. Facing backlash from members, REI admitted it “made a mistake.” The company says it will be more cautious going forward, but for a brand built on protecting and enjoying our public lands, the bar should’ve been higher in the first place.

👀 The Great Moose Migration

In Sweden, the current pop culture phenomenon isn’t about watching some soulless ‘reality’ tv show, it’s about watching real reality in nature – like The Great Moose Migration. Millions of people tune in over the 3 week period where moose migrate to their summer homes. It’s part of a genre called ‘slow tv’ because it can be meditative and calming. The animal instinct in us probably longs for the good old days of no devices, no bills, and no bosses, just following the rhythm of the seasons and watching the moose go by. Throw your inner animal a bone and stare out the window today, or see if you can spot a moose on the livestream.