By George Monbiot
In 2014, (click here) the Guardian asked me to nominate my hero of the year. To some people’s surprise, I chose Russell Brand. I loved the way he energised young people who had been alienated from politics. I claimed, perhaps hyperbolically, he was “the best thing that has happened to the left in years” (in my defence, there wasn’t, at the time, much competition).
Today, I can scarcely believe it’s the same man. I’ve watched 50 of his recent videos, with growing incredulity. He appears to have switched from challenging injustice to conjuring phantoms. If, as I suspect it might, politics takes a very dark turn in the next few years, it will be partly as a result of people like Brand....
Today, I can scarcely believe it’s the same man. I’ve watched 50 of his recent videos, with growing incredulity. He appears to have switched from challenging injustice to conjuring phantoms. If, as I suspect it might, politics takes a very dark turn in the next few years, it will be partly as a result of people like Brand....
It is unfortunate Russell Brand has become corrupt when it comes to his statements about climate, but, he is a growing group of people identified as incompetent in their messaging or down right corrupt.
Environmental Justice is taking hold. The concept has developed over the past seven years. First, it was ignored as nothing but noise makers, but, today it carries clout with voters of effected communities. Environmental Justice is more the the climate, but, it weighs in from time to time, when storms over take drainage and people die in basement apartments.
16 March 2023
Real people are suffering due to the lack of status of their communities in a larger picture. These communities add up to voter rolls that have become aware of their own power to change the trajectory. There is also an administration in DC listening and willing to do the work to turn the corner on adverse outcomes due to environment of living conditions.
This is just one example of the work the Biden/Harris administration is conducting to change quality of life for all Americans.
March 8, 2023
Washington - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (click here) announced the availability of $16 million for two new grant opportunities to support states and Tribes in providing technical assistance to businesses seeking to develop and adopt pollution prevention (P2) practices that advance environmental justice in underserved communities. EPA has published two Request for Applications for P2 investments, which were made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including the Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice in Communities, and the Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice Through Safer and More Sustainable Products programs.
“For too long, underserved communities have suffered the harmful effects of pollution across the country,” said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer. “President Biden’s investment in America is supercharging our efforts to protect more communities than ever before. These new grants will advance environmental justice by equipping American businesses with resources that save money, prevent pollution at the source, reduce the use of hazardous materials, and cut climate pollution.”
The United States produces billions of pounds of pollution each year and spends billions of dollars per year controlling this pollution. Preventing pollution at the source, also known as P2 or source reduction, rather than managing waste after it is produced, is an important part of advancing a sustainable economic and environmental infrastructure....
“For too long, underserved communities have suffered the harmful effects of pollution across the country,” said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer. “President Biden’s investment in America is supercharging our efforts to protect more communities than ever before. These new grants will advance environmental justice by equipping American businesses with resources that save money, prevent pollution at the source, reduce the use of hazardous materials, and cut climate pollution.”
The United States produces billions of pounds of pollution each year and spends billions of dollars per year controlling this pollution. Preventing pollution at the source, also known as P2 or source reduction, rather than managing waste after it is produced, is an important part of advancing a sustainable economic and environmental infrastructure....
This is from the White House and it is all based in facts. There are two major legislative accomplishments by this administration that is pushing the country toward a better energy future.
March 9, 2023
...In signing the Inflation Reduction Act last year, (click here) the President also secured the largest investment to advance energy security and combat climate change in American history—all while lowering energy costs for the American people. The Administration is continuing to implement the Inflation Reduction Act, which is already galvanizing our clean energy transition and making clean and energy efficient technologies more affordable for American families. At the same time, the Administration has launched numerous initiatives to accelerate America’s clean energy future and advance environmental justice—from jumpstarting an electric transportation future that is Made in America, to announcing new climate-smart agriculture and forestry initiatives, to investing in the places that kept America’s lights on for generations, to implementing the President’s Justice40 Initiative that ensures 40 percent of the benefits of Federal investments in climate and clean energy are delivered to disadvantaged communities. The Budget invests in clean energy across America, bringing jobs to rural communities and cities, leaving no one behind....
This movement to better energy sources is not new. Some of these initiatives are spring boarding off the Obama White House energy initiatives. So, this is a strong position from which real change is occurring and Americans can plot a better future for their children. The Climate Crisis is a threat to the future and Americans are taking it seriously.
Is climate an existential threat? The USA military says it is and that has been the case for more than a decade now.
By David Vergun
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke today at the Leaders Summit on Climate. (click here)
"Today, no nation can find lasting security without addressing the climate crisis. We face all kinds of threats in our line of work, but few of them truly deserve to be called existential. The climate crisis does," he said, adding that "climate change is making the world more unsafe and we need to act."...
The USA military is backing up it's focus with issues of environmental justice, too. It is calling forward those in the military exposed to burn pits and the water at Camp LeJune. The USA military is taking responsibility for environmental threats no matter the source. One example is the use of biofuels for jets. Yes, jets. The USA military was among the first to make climate a priority and why? Because it is a national security issue and has been for some time.
So, people like Russell Brand may be making a lot of noise, but, people are more in tune with the truth of climate and less willing to listen to the noise makers.
