Published on Truthout, 2 Oct 2017. It is often painful to write these monthly dispatches, chronicling what has happened to the Earth over the previous several weeks. Every month I’m taken aback by how rapidly the changes are unfolding. Take my word for this: These pieces are as emotionally challenging for me to write as they
Scientific Study Predicts Global Mass Extinction Event Possible by 2100
Published on Truthout, 28 Sep 2017. The planet has experienced five mass extinction events. The worst, the Permian Mass Extinction event 252 million years ago, annihilated more than 95 percent of all life on Earth. It coincided with a significant increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). The Permian Mass Extinction is the perfect example of what
9/11: The Beginning of the End of the US Empire Project
Published on Truthout, 11 Sep 2017. Today, it has been 16 years since the events of September 11, 2001, in the United States. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks, and more than 6,000 were injured in the spectacular violence across New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC. The Bush/Cheney administration used these horrible events to justify
Welcome to the New World of Wildfires
Published on Truthout, 9 Sep 2017. When one envisions the US Pacific Northwest, one thinks of green ferns, moss-covered trees in Olympic National Park, or the Hoh Rainforest, where annual rainfall is measured in the hundreds of inches. Moisture, greenery, evergreens, abundant rivers. It’s a large part of the reason why I live here. Read the
Mattis and Tillerson Aren’t Mitigating Trump — They’re on a Path of Destruction
Published on Truthout, 6 Sep 2017. Compared to President Donald Trump, anyone looks good. This is why the former CEO of one of the largest oil companies on the planet, who is now our secretary of state, can come off as a voice of reason for simply saying “the president speaks for himself” when discussing Trump’s lack of
Greenland Is Burning: Wildfires and Floods Surge Worldwide
Published on Truthout, 5 Sep 2017. On Sunday, August 27, I went mountain climbing in Olympic National Park, near my home. I noted how warm the day was — far warmer, even in early morning, than the norm for this time of year. I would learn that evening that across Puget Sound in Seattle, the city
Weather Underground Members Speak Out on the Media, Imperialism and Solidarity in the Age of Trump
Published on Truthout, 30 Aug 2017. Seven months into the so-called administration of President Donald Trump, things are going further off the rails with each passing day. From the fires of war to attacks on health care to the stoking of the white supremacist far right, living in the bowels of a rotting empire has, perhaps,
Hurricane Harvey Shows What Climate Disruption-Amplified Flooding Can Do
Published on Truthout, 5 Sep 2017. My mother and father live just north of Houston. Here is the rather cryptic text message my mother, sent me late Sunday night: Lost power. Got generator running, fridge on, light, running small AC in morning. Tired. Staying upstairs to escape generator noise. Trees down. Wind up. Waiting for daylight
Fukushima Plant Is Releasing 770,000 Tons of Radioactive Water Into the Pacific Ocean
Published on Truthout, 18 Aug 2017. Seven months into the so-called administration of President Donald Trump, things are going further off the rails with each passing day. From the fires of war to attacks on health care to the stoking of the white supremacist far right, living in the bowels of a rotting empire has, perhaps,
Deforestation and Climate Disruption Are Degrading the Amazon, Endangering Our Survival
Published on Truthout, 07 Aug 2017. Sao Paolo and Brasilia, Brazil — Warwick Manfrinato, the director of Brazil’s Department of Protected Areas, has a deep understanding of biological interdependence, as well as its importance. Read the full story on Truthout.