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!)
In Pop Culture:
Bjork and Greta Thunberg talked about climate change on The New Statesman’s podcast. It’s a great listen for people who love climate solutions, experimental music, and adorable accents.
GETTING DOWN TO CLIMATE BUSINESS:
🌵 Effects of climate change, like drought and reduced precipitation, are causing bodies of water to dry up all over North America, and the drought pattern is moving eastward. Over 80% of the continental U.S. is currently showing conditions between “abnormally dry” and “exceptional drought.” That’s right, our drought is exceptional. America is dry at an 8th grade level.
🇬🇷 For a few hours last week, Greece powered 100% of its electrical grid using renewable energy. You might not know it, but the Greeks have been working on solar energy for a long time. That’s why Icarus was up there in the first place.
⚖️ New Jersey joined Delaware, Maryland, and other states in suing the fossil fuel industry for causing climate change. The suit seeks monetary compensation for damages caused by climate change, such as habitat loss, and demands that fossil fuel companies stop misleading the public about the damaging effects of their products. In response, ExxonMobil said, “ExxonMobil will continue to invest in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emission.” Which sounds a little like Dr. Jekyll saying, “I will continue to invest in efforts to reduce Mr. Hyde.”
🦀 Several billion (with a B) Alaskan snow crabs have disappeared from the Bering Sea, and it turns out, climate change is to blame. Apparently, when the water gets warmer, crab metabolism speeds up, which means they have to eat more. One thing they’ve been eating is…. other crabs. Climate change is turning crabs into cannibals, which I guess means that Soylent Green is made of crab. Which honestly sounds pretty delicious.
♀️ The LA Times published this fascinating piece about the ways females (human and otherwise) are uniquely vulnerable to climate change and what we can learn about human survival. One evolutionary role model: camels, who have evolved for hot and dry weather on a molecular level. Personally, I’m emulating camels by hunching over my computer for 10 hours a day and developing a hump of my own.
🗳️ If you’d like to get involved in the midterm elections, Vox rounded up this list of races with important climate implications. Volunteering for a campaign could be a great way to contribute to the climate effort. Stop dodging political phone calls, and start MAKING political phone calls!
SOME STATS:
200: THE AMOUNT OF PLASTIC WASTE, IN TONS, PULLED OUT OF THE THAMES RIVER EVERY YEAR (BBC)
60%:THE PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL HYDROFLUROCARBONS EMITTED BY COMMERCIAL AND HOME AIR CONDITIONERS (WAPO)
I Want To Ride My Bicycle
As you get more into sustainability, you might become bike-curious. If so, you’re in luck, because several articles came out this week with bike tips!
For those who live in inclement weather, here’s an article about biking in the rain without getting soaked or injured.
If you’re a mountain biker, here’s a piece about bike parts and accessories with simple and elegant designs.
And finally, one about how to get started with gravel biking.
Thanks for reading! – Nicole
