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The Climate Minute examines current news on global warming, climate change, renewable energy and the prospects for progress on international negotiations, carbon taxes and clean energy policy.
Episodes
Friday Aug 26, 2016
From Block Island to Dakota: The Climate Minute Podcast
Friday Aug 26, 2016
Friday Aug 26, 2016
Following the SJC’s decision against the pipeline tax, the utilities have pulled out of the Access Northeast pipeline project. That is good news, but raises the question of what happens next in the fight against new fossil fuel infrastructure. The Dakota Access pipeline fight looms large in this context. One the other hand, there are now several examples of clean energy breakthroughs. Listen in as we discuss.
Check out live links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.org/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre
Friday Aug 19, 2016
Friday Aug 19, 2016
A court ruling ends the plan to finance new natural gas pipelines by means of a ‘tariff’ on electricity bills. This is a victory for the Massachusetts consumer and for clean energy, especially since it will become much harder to build this kind of decades-long-lived fossil fuel infrastructure. Listen in as we discuss the implications of this important decision.
Check out live links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.org/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre
Tuesday Jul 26, 2016
Voices from Acushnet-The Climate Hawk's Companion Podcast
Tuesday Jul 26, 2016
Tuesday Jul 26, 2016
A massive gas compression and storage facility has been proposed for the small town of Acushnet Massachusetts. In protest, local residents, lead by South Coast Neighbors United marched between two schools that would be close to the facility. Listen in as we hear voices from the march. (Special bonus: some whaling and literary history!)
Check out live links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.org/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre
Friday Jul 15, 2016
Protests and pipeline taxes- The Climate Minute Podcast
Friday Jul 15, 2016
Friday Jul 15, 2016
Pipeline protests gain strength even as the State Legislature considers a new Omnibus Energy bill. A key provision denies the utilities a ‘pipeline tax’ to fund the construction. A match to the Statehouse this weekend will send a clear message- see below for the route and timing.
Here is some background and advice on what to do, even if you can’t get to the statehouse this weekend. Both the House and Senate have heard that you want a bolder clean energy vision, please thank your senator for their leadership and ask them to support a few key amendments.
The current bill includes these clean energy pieces:
- A commitment to offshore wind of 2000 megawatts
- An annual increase from one to two percent in the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard
- A mandate for a home energy audit to be made available when homes are listed for sale.
- Incentives for energy storage
BUT, the Senate bill could include key provisions:
- Ban the pipeline tax
- Protect low-income solar
- Accelerate gas leak repairs.
Without an outright ban on the pipeline tax, the Baker administration and the utility companies could still find for ratepayers to bear the cost of building massive fracked gas pipelines.
Check out live links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre
Friday Jul 01, 2016
MA Senate rolls out a shiny new Omnibus: The Climate Minute Podcast
Friday Jul 01, 2016
Friday Jul 01, 2016
The Massachusetts Senate passed an Omnibus Energy bill that mandates 2GW of wind power, increases the use of renewables by 2% a year and bans the ‘pipeline tax.’ This is good news! Next comes joint work between the House and Senate to reconcile the two different versions of the bill passed by each body. Climate Hawks should urge their legislators to put the Senate’s vision into the final bill.
Check out live links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre
Friday Jun 24, 2016
A watery future for downtown Boston? The Climate Minute Podcast
Friday Jun 24, 2016
Friday Jun 24, 2016
A new report says that Boston is at greater risk of sea level rise than previously thought, with the possibility that places like Faneuil Hall could go below sea level. Even with that looming possibility, Exxon is contesting the subpoena issued by the MA Attorney General. Locally, there were new arrests at the West Roxbury pipeline site, and our Senators sent a letter to FERC. On top of all that, you can RSVP to the MCAN’s really cool tour of the Deer Island renewable energy installations at the link below. Listen in!
Check out live links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre
Monday Jun 20, 2016
Monday Jun 20, 2016
In this episode, we meet a young Climate Hawk who is just beginning her journey of activism. Rachel Geiger is committed to fighting climate change, and her story is both a template and inspiration for others. Listen in!
Rachel’s – and other’s -work with the Mount Holyoke College's Climate Justice Coalition and Fossil Fuel Divest campaign can be tracked at this link to the Facebook page, Instagram, tumblr, and twitter! As usual, the Facebook page is a good place to start.
Rachel gives this recommendation:
Advice to fellow activists, especially youth and young adults, since the young tend to think we are invincible. Find any way you can to get involved, but also, take care of yourself. Take breaks when needed and do not take on too much, so you do not burn out. Look out for each other and connect as people, not just activists. We need to build networks of people, because no one can do this alone-we need a society shift! We need to build these networks based on care and love for the earth, the people who inhabit it, and each other.
If you want to get involved:
• If you are looking to start a divest campaign, Divest Student Networkcan be immensely helpful, and 350.org. So can http://gofossilfree.org/, which has a handbook on how to start a Divest Campaign (attached).
• In the Northeast, some organizations that help students with Divestment campaigns are Responsible Endowments Coalition (REC) and Better Future Project (BFP). BFP works on an assortment of climate justice issues and is currently most focused on stopping natural gas pipelines from entering MA, while REC focuses on pressuring institutions to invest responsibly, including fossil fuel divestment campaigns, other kinds of divestment campaigns, and reinvestment.
As for other links to include, Rachel talked a bit about
• Do The Math. Here's the video that inspired Rachel and here's the article from Rolling Stone.
• Here is the link to the new Bill McKibbon article about methane, Global Warming’s Terrifying New Chemistry. Many listeners are probably already aware that methane is not the bridge to the future many have claimed it to be, and that reports show that MA does not need it to power itself on renewable energy.
Other great resources are Naomi Klein's Capitlism vs the Climate and The story of stuff f by Annie Leopold who provides a great explanation of capitalism as inherently impossible because it is a system that assumes infinite growth, but the earth is a closed system.
Rachel’s work is funded by other Climate Hawks, so you can help. Here is the link for how to donate to better Future Project's Climate Justice Fellowship. As for those who do not do online banking: One can write a check to Better Future Project, and specify Climate Justice Fellowship in the check's memo. They can be sent to Better Future Project at 30 Bow St. Cambridge, MA 02138. If someone is donating by check, that can include their email address and phone number if they want occasional updates about the fellowship and Better Future Project from BFP. They should also include who solicited the donation. BFP says "Donations to Better Future Project and its programs are tax-deductible. All donors who give online receive a receipt automatically. Please note that the receipt refers to donations to “Better Future Project, 350 Massachusetts for a Better Future (350 Mass), the Climate Justice Fellowship, and other programs of Better Future Project.” They will send receipts either electronically or via mail to donors who give via check."
Check out live links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre
Friday Jun 10, 2016
Magical Methane Mystery: The Climate Minute Podcast
Friday Jun 10, 2016
Friday Jun 10, 2016
This week, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed what they called an Omnibus Energy Bill. At best it is a half-loaf, where many useful amendments were quietly withdrawn. The bill now goes to the Senate. A recent report shows that many methane leaks in MA we dropped from the utility tracking list. How can that be? Finally we discuss the latest #OilBomb train. Listen in!
Check out live links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre
Monday May 30, 2016
Omnibus or Minibus? The Climate Minute Podcast
Monday May 30, 2016
Monday May 30, 2016
The Massachusetts State House of Representatives released a draft Omnibus Energy Bill that would call for 1.2 GW of offshore wind, and about half the Quebec-Hydro the Governor has requested. The bill also dodges the question of the ‘pipeline tax’- neither supporting or rejecting it. Plus, UMASS divests and Exxon continues denial as usual. What a week!
Listen in!
Check out live links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre
Friday May 27, 2016
Friday May 27, 2016
The ongoing resistance to a new pipeline in West Roxbury is a microcosm of the new global effort to fight global warming with peaceful, non-violent direct action. We chat with Chuck Collins, a co-founder of Resist the Pipeline West Roxbury, about the motivation and meaning of ‘direct action’ to stop the construction of new carbon pollution ‘infrastructure” such as the “West Roxbury Lateral.”
Listen in!
Check out live links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre