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plutocracy

Big Oil, Big Coal and other powerful special interests have long thwarted the will of the peoples of the world's industrialized nations to stop and reverse ecological overshoot. If you care about climate change or peak oil, it's crucial to understand the role of big polluters in politics and what citizens can do to take back our democracies so we can move towards a clean, human-scale economy.

For sale, habitable planet, too late

By March 25, 2013
Wave Breaker

According to legend, Ernest Hemingway bet his 1920s-era colleagues he could write a complete story in just six words. Hemingway is said to have considered the resulting piece his best work: “For Sale, Baby Shoes, Never Worn.” Making no attempt to keep up with Hemingway, this article provides an overview of the dire climate-change situation in fewer than 300 words. Perhaps even Twitter users will find time for the entire essay. Addition by subtraction Until relatively recently, economic … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The happy ending

By March 13, 2013
Sandy Stops Our Shopping

Below we present the first chapter of The End of the World by Reverend Billy, leader of the Church of Stop Shopping. Sparing neither fire nor brimstone, the good Reverend preaches sinners in the hands of an angry Earth. He calls on humanity to change its evil ways before the final judgment, inspiring the congregation to a faith that, after Hurricane Sandy, will not allow any of us to sit on the sidelines any longer. Can we get an Amen, brothers and sisters?  -- Ed. It was a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Transition Tagged With: , , , ,

Always the last to know

By February 27, 2013
Climate Change

Quiz time, readers: what do the US Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, the Transportation Department, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Interior, the Energy Department, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce, the Government Accountability Office, and the CIA have in common? It’s a long list of government departments and agencies, and they’re all getting something right. Now brace yourselves. They’re all … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Fracking movie “Promised Land” is a gusher

By January 9, 2013
Promised Land still

After I saw Matt Damon and John Krasinski's new fracking drama Promised Land, I couldn't help but compare it to the slew of trite pieces trotted out during the previews. There was the typical wedding family hijinks RomCom; the take-no-prisoners gangster-fest; the scorched-earth-meets-futuristic-savior piece; and some picture about a lovable psychotic redeemed by a chick. Guilty pleasures, all (for somebody). And all committed to film using no small amount of fossil fuel … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Films, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Capitalism Papers: Fatal flaws of an obsolete system

By November 29, 2012
register

Self-interest lies at the root of capitalism. This self-interest is a thoroughly predictable, steadily consistent feature of the human landscape and can reasonably be viewed as a solid foundation upon which to build. Self- interest can serve as both motivation and a salve for weary spirits. Kept within commonly-accepted bounds, it acts as a spur against laziness, and a hopeful haven for unrealized dreams. When happiness is the goal, self-interest makes an unerring guide, almost never … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Books, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Vote Romney-Ryan to hasten collapse

By November 2, 2012
Romneymobile in the final stretch

This election year, the total collapse of industrial civilization has gained a popularity not seen since the heyday of The Planet of the Apes franchise. All over the blogosphere, people who worry about climate change, peak oil, financial meltdown, debt slavery, species extinction, overpopulation and rampant commercialism along with the spread of military drones, techno-warfare and the surveillance state have given up on the electoral process. They say that voting for either one of two big … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Politics Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Peak oil and climate change: hold your nose and vote

By October 23, 2012
Obama at debate

At last night's third and final presidential debate, we heard about horses and bayonets, nukes and drones, Israel and Iran and whether we should just give up on Pakistan. But, for the first time since 1988, we didn't hear anything last night or in either of the two previous debates this year about climate change. As to energy, it came up much less in last night's foreign policy debate than in the previous week's debate on domestic issues, but anything said on energy was just as … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Politics Tagged With: , , , , ,

Green Party’s Jill Stein: A missing voice in presidential debates

By October 22, 2012
Jill Stein at Occupy Wall Street anniversary rally

Transition Voice has re-posted the article below from YES! Magazine. -- Ed. Like many of us here at YES!, medical doctor Jill Stein has been frustrated by the narrowness of this year's campaign for president of the United States. Crucial issues such as climate change, poverty, and the cost of war are completely left out of the conversation. No one tackles this problem as directly as Stein, who is running for president on the Green Party ticket. On Tuesday, she and her running mate, Cheri … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Politics Tagged With: , , ,

The rain on our parade: a letter to my dismal allies

By October 1, 2012
Photo: Krug6/flickr.

Dear Allies, Forgive me if I briefly take my eyes off the prize to brush away some flies, but the buzzing has gone on for some time. I have a grand goal, and that is to counter the Republican right with its deep desire to annihilate everything I love, and to move toward far more radical goals than the Democrats ever truly support. In the course of pursuing that, however, I’ve come up against the habits of my presumed allies again and again. O rancid sector of the far left, please stop … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Politics Tagged With: , , ,

Five issues this election should be about, and one to drop

By September 17, 2012
Ohio Cooperative Solar workers

Cutting through the campaign rhetoric and attack ads, here are five issues we believe should be at the center of the 2012 election, plus one that has no place in the public sphere. Every election year, the two parties choose the agendas and issues to highlight and ballyhoo. Often it feels as though we citizens have little power to turn the conversation to the issues we want addressed. But that’s not as true as it seems. Conversations around the water cooler or over the picket fence … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Politics Tagged With: , , , , ,