Concrete, Cement, CO2, Climate Change

 

How People Commute

Nor surprise here: everybody in the USA commutes by car, whereas things are much more diverse around the world. Great interactive map: Cities Moving. Start by setting your own commuting and then scroll-down for context.

Probable Futures

Probable Futures seems like a great initiative - but I am not really sure what they are doing and for how much longer. Their Climate Handbook is great - would be nice to have it as a PDF and as a full audiobook for easier reading and listening.

The Distressed Community Index

Nicely-Done! The Distressed Community Index has 15.6% percent of its population living in a distressed zip code and 24.4% percent living in a prosperous zip code. Start at the state level, then switch to counties, and perhas even zip codes.

Not cool: you need to pay them for the data!

PalmWatch

PalmWatch: Tracking the impact of big brands' palm oil use seems really cool & slick, but may take you a while to figure-out what's going on & how to use it.

The Culture War @ US Universities

Great article in Nature by Emma Marris: How Culture Wars are Affecting US Universities

This is just the usual right-wing BS that the MAGA crowd loves: elinminate DEI to protect academic freedom, frame diversity statements as a 'leftistt loyalty oath', etc. Not something we need to deal with in Massachusetts (yet...).

Lovejoy's Nuclear War (1975)

On George Washington's Birthday, 1974, Sam Lovejoy--a 27-year-old farmer--toppled a 500-foot weather tower in Montague, Massachusetts. The tower had been erected by the local utility as part of their attempt to build one of the largest nuclear power plants ever planned.

Leaving 349 feet of twisted wreckage behind, Lovejoy hitched a ride to the local police station, where he turned himself in along with a four-page statement decrying the dangers of nuclear power and accusing the government and utilities of "conspiracy and despotism."

Six months later, Lovejoy stood trial for "willful and malicious destruction of personal property," a five-year felony. He insisted on conducting his own case, and told the jury he had acted in self-defense. After a dramatic seven-day trial, Lovejoy went free.

More about this story here: https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/lovejoys-nuclear-plant-civil-disobedience/