Let's expose everyday climate denial. Here's how

I agree that denial is a problem at both the individual level and the systems level, and both need serious attention and effort.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/09/lets-expose-everyday-climate-denial-heres-how

Here’s a starting point:

“Do you believe?” is the wrong question to ask public officials about climate change http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwpYCr2Dk?oc=wa

I like the recommendation that, instead of asking if people believe in climate change (which implies that this is something optional that we can choose to accept or not), the questions should be focused on whether people understand the scientific consensus, and what they are going to do about it. 🙂

Trump presidency 'an extension of his brand,' and Trudeau's buying in: Naomi Klein

I’m always a fan of Naomi Klein’s work – and it is particularly critical in this era….
https://www-cbc-ca.cdn.ampproject.org/c/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4165886
And, on a related note…  “Victories against Trump are mounting. Here’s how we deal the final blow” from The Guardian.
https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/18/resistance-victories-trump-mounting-final-blow
All pointing to a critical and strong role for civil society. 🙂

'Beans' or 'Sizzlin' Beans:' Words Get People Eating Healthier Simple changes to a cafeteria's veggie descriptions caused a big change in choices, study found

https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_166501.html
Someone passed this on to me, so I am passing it on here. 🙂 I am all in favour of anything that helps break the myth that food can be healthy or appealing. Not sure why that one has persisted for as long as it has, but hopefully things are changing for the better. I hope that school cafeterias and others all keep this kind of data in mind when they plan their menus etc. – to help nudge away from chicken fingers and hot dogs, and towards something that is both healthy and delicious. 🙂
 

If Greg Gianforte were an immigrant, he'd be deported. Not heading to Congress

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/13/greg-gianforte-immigrant-deported-congress
I don’t know the specifics of US policy, so I can’t respond to that, but his general point certainly seems to match what I have seen in some of my circles.  Ironically, at the same time as I have seen people hold newcomers to an unreasonably high bar, I have also seen them treated (sometimes by the same people) with an unusually low bar. For example, insisting that the newcomers house should only be set up with old, leftover bedding etc that others are finished with because “they are newcomers and it’s good enough for them… they shouldn’t be picky… etc etc.” Fortunately, those have been the exception in my experience – the norm has been to see newcomers welcomed with love and go on to do great things, with nobody expecting perfection, the same expectations we have for everyone else. 🙂

Michael Moore launches TrumpiLeaks whistleblowing site

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jun/07/michael-moore-trumpileaks-whistleblowing-donald-trump
He also has a new documentary coming up soon:  https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/may/16/michael-moore-donald-trump-documentary-fahrenheit-11-9

“No matter what you throw at him, it hasn’t worked,” Moore said. “No matter what is revealed, he remains standing. Facts, reality, brains cannot defeat him. Even when he commits a self-inflicted wound, he gets up the next morning and keeps going and tweeting. That all ends with this movie.”
Fahrenheit 9/11 made $222m worldwide and remains the highest-grossing documentary of all time.

There was never a better time for the US to leave global climate talks — From Poverty to Power

Interesting point – not that I want anybody leaving the Paris Agreement (or other valuable international agreements), but at least others are stepping up to make up for the shortcomings that are risked by the US pulling out of Paris.
If a country as powerful as the US, with emissions and economy to match, can pull out of an agreement like this and have the agreement go on largely unchanged – due to the efforts of other state and non-state actors – what does this mean for global power balances? What does this mean for the relationship between state and non-state? What might this mean for future agreements? Will be interesting to see where this goes in the future.
….

US Embassy, Berlin, with a bit of help from Greenpeace Op-ed by Tim Gore, Head of Policy, Advocacy and Research of Oxfam’s GROW Campaign Oxfam began campaigning for a global climate agreement in 2007. We have sent teams to every COP and every single negotiating session ever since. Along with many partners and allies, we…

via There was never a better time for the US to leave global climate talks — From Poverty to Power

World leaders react after Trump rejects Paris climate deal

World leaders react after Trump rejects Paris climate deal
The only sliver of good news in a terrible decision from Trump is that it looks like this will help motivate the rest of the world to work twice as hard to do the right thing… 🙂
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/01/trump-withdraw-paris-climate-deal-world-leaders-react?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_WordPress

Liberal MPs Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Sean Casey Vote To Call Out Electoral Reform Pledge

Disappointed to see that the vote did not pass, and to see how little coverage there seems to be. I guess there is still more work to do to get change on this front – but I’m not sure how the Liberals, and Trudeau specifically, could have been more clear during the campaign that electoral reform would happen. 🙂
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/05/31/liberal-electoral-reform-pledge-ndp-vote_n_16900086.html
Interesting note: I was checking something on the Fair Vote Canada website http://www.fairvote.ca/ this morning and saw this  quote:

Pierre Trudeau, Former Prime Minister of Canada, quoted in the Leader Post, 1979

[I]t will be even more difficult for the federal government to speak in the name of the nation and form national policy [unless Canada adopts a more proportional voting system].

Not sure what else the current government needs to move towards PR. Maybe sending that quote to the PMOs office, and MPs would help! 🙂
 

Scientists are testing a "vaccine" against climate change denial

“Inoculating” people against misinformation may give scientific facts a shot at survival.”

http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIw8p6jgTU  or here:
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/5/31/15713838/inoculation-climate-change-denial
Interesting idea – particularly on the same day that it appears that Trump is planning on pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement.  Anything that helps build support for climate facts and action is a gain, in my opinion. 🙂

Proportional Representation Vote Coming up on Wed.

Below is an email from Fair Vote Canada http://www.fairvote.ca/. Please spread the word and help ensure PR for Canada. Thanks!
………………………..
Please call your Liberal MP on Monday or Tuesday and urge them to vote yes to the Electoral Reform Committee Report!

When Justin Trudeau decided to break the campaign promise to make every vote count our Liberal Members of Parliament who campaigned on this promise did not get a vote.
That’s about to change.
On Wednesday, May 31, we expect there will be a free vote in the House of Commons on a motion to adopt the report of the all-party committee on electoral reform (ERRE). Read more here: http://www.fairvote.ca/errevote/
If the other parties vote yes – and we expect they will – we only need yes votes from 20 Liberal MPs for the motion to pass.
A yes vote by Liberal backbenchers would send a strong message to the government that many MPs did not agree with the Prime Minister’s decision and want the government to put the promise to make every vote count in 2019 back on the table. 
Can you call your local Liberal MP and ask your MP to vote yes? Click here to call now!
Phone calls make an impact. All you need to say to the constituency assistant who answers is something like, “My name is __________ and I’m a constituent in (your riding). I’m calling to ask MP _______ to vote yes to the motion to adopt the report of the electoral reform committee.”
Of course, you can add whatever else you want about why PR and this promise is important to you! (If you voted Liberal last time, please mention that, too).
In visits with MPs this week, we are hearing that some MPs are still undecided. They are being told that only a small group of people in their riding care about this. Enough people tying up their constituency office phone lines for the next two days could convince them otherwise! 
A few points to consider:

  • Liberal MPs campaigned on a clear promise that 2015 was the last election using first-past-the-post and to make every vote count in 2019
  • 63% of Canadians voted for parties who made this promise
  • 88% of the experts who testified to the electoral reform committee and 87% of the public who participated recommended proportional representation
  • The largest poll ever on this topic – 15,800 constituents in 20 Liberal ridings – shows that 70% of decided participants want their Liberal MP to advocate in the House of Commons that the Liberal government keep its promise, and change our system to proportional representation in time for the next election

This motion is not a bill. Liberal MPs do not have to agree with every recommendation in the report to vote yes.
There is still time to deliver this important promise for 2019! MPs willing to stand up for evidence, stand up for constituents, and stand up for their campaign promise can turn things around.
Please click here – https://fairvote.callmymp.ca/ – to call your Liberal MP now, and encourage friends to do the same!
Sincerely,
Anita Nickerson
Fair Vote Canada Action Coordinator