Karissa talks with Tiffani of House Our Neighbors, the organization that spearheaded the social housing initiative in Seattle. We dug into the state of the housing crisis, the truth about the affordable housing solutions always offered by developers and decision makers which never seem to solve the problem permanently and at scale, the fundamental issue with housing as a profit-making venture instead of a right for all, the nitty gritty on how social housing works, addressing the climate crisis with social housing, how to start our own initiative, and so much more!

This was SUCH an incredible breath of fresh air to break free from this narrow box our conversations about affordable housing solutions are confined to here in southwest Washington and to imagine something so much better. De-commodified housing is an internationally proven model for TRULY affordable housing in perpetuity and needs a local movement to force it into the policy discussion.

PLEASE share this episode with everyone you know who cares about homelessness and the housing crisis, including local officials!

Tiffani and House Our Neighbors consults with groups trying to achieve de-commodified housing all around the country. You can reach her at [email protected].

Check out the House Our Neighbors website here: https://www.houseourneighbors.org/

Another artist showcase from local artist the Messy Jacksons!

Here are some links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dEqqFXABX0

https://themessyjacksons.bandcamp.com/music

Karissa had the pleasure of sitting down with Zorah Oppenheimer, who is Executive Director of Clark Conservation District and member of the Steering Committee for the Heritage Farm Sustainability Plan.

Now, when you hear the word “sustainability” you probably envision we’re talking about regenerative farming or something of that nature. NOPE! This is a plan for financial sustainability of the nearly 80-acre Heritage Farm, a historic urban poor farm right off of 78th street in Hazel Dell that is used for many community educational agriculture projects.

This Steering Committee and Sustainability Plan was put in motion by a previous iteration of the Clark County Council over concerns about the cost of this public asset to the general fund. There has been controversy and anxiety over the fate of Heritage Farm for years by those who appreciate the value of something as special as a large urban farm in a county that is undergoing severe loss of farmland and whose residents are experiencing extreme development fatigue. On top of this, adapting to the climate crisis means expanding local food production to prepare for the breakdown of the global industrial food system.

Zorah brings us up to speed on the Sustainability Plan and what is likely in store for Heritage Farm. There is some good news, some legitimate concerns about the plan thus far, and more work ahead if we want to protect Heritage Farm FOR GOOD! We also discuss the larger issue of the undervaluing of agricultural land and the need for smart population growth planning that reduces sprawl and preserves nature.

It was wonderful to have Zorah on the show and to hear about the good work of Clark Conservation District. You can learn more here:

https://www.clarkcd.org/about-us

More information about the Heritage Farm Sustainability Plan from the county website (including information about the public open house taking place on Jan 24th):

https://clark.wa.gov/public-works/heritage-farm-sustainability-plan

Following this process is a priority of the local environmental group Friends of Clark County! Follow them on FB and IG @friendsofclarkcounty and look out for updates on the draft coming out on January 17th, after which the public commentary period will begin.

The music showcase for this episode comes from none other than our sound engineer/producer, LT Page’s new eclectic and collaborative outfit called Faces in the Wood! The song is called “Solstice”. Here is their Bandcamp link:

https://facesinthewood.bandcamp.com/?fbclid=IwAR1OTwdpH47qoZDH0SYltQgUjf2W1d2CgxtWvmhCHqf4QkApT6_tcQlT7es

Karissa is joined by a panel of interfaith leaders, including Shirin Elkoshairi, Dexter Kearny, and Zemirah Willow Higgins (all of SWWA) who have taken up the much-needed task of organizing for a ceasefire in Gaza IN VANCOUVER!

Willow discusses how the Jewish community in SWWA and across the US is responding to the genocide in Gaza, and Dexter similarly shares about the Christian community’s response, as well as explains the insidious motives of Christian Zionism.

We talk about how there are powerful interests profiting off of this genocide, and the group discusses how bogus claims of antisemitism are weaponized against anyone trying to seek justice for Palestinians, as well as attempts to muddy the waters by claims that this is a complicated war of a religious nature.

Finally, we consider how our representative, Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez, has been on this issue (spoiler alert---NOT FINE) and the need to push her to represent us in Congress and support a CEASEFIRE NOW, with NO MORE funding and weapons for Israel to carry out this genocide with the complicity of the United States!

THANK YOU to those who joined this discussion and for stepping up to organize in our community. Be sure to SHOW UP for the teach-in taking place in downtown Vancouver on Sunday, January 14th from 2 – 4pm.

Go to https://ceasefirecd3.org/event/ to sign up for notifications and updates, and follow @ceasefirecd3 on IG and FB.

This is a fitting episode for an artist showcase from local band, Sorrows, whose recent shows have been benefits for Doctors Without Borders and the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund raising nearly a thousand dollars! The song is called “Shape”. Be sure to stick around for that shoegazy garagey goodness at the end of the episode and here is a link to their music:

https://linktr.ee/sorrows.cool?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

Here is a wonderful interview with Pete Dubois of Clark County Composts! We talked all things food waste and compost, including common misconceptions and all of the ways you can save your food waste from the landfill with little effort and without even having to have your own home composting system. Pete also expresses the importance of following the food waste hierarchy and ways to reduce your grocery bill while tackling food waste. Make sure you listen to the end, as Pete performed an original song for us LIVE!

This was a fascinating conversation that will empower you to connect with the cycle of life and do your part in combatting the climate crisis on a daily basis, which FEELS GOOD.

You can find more info, connect with Pete, and sign up for the workshops we discussed here:

https://clarkcountycomposts.org/

Here is the Kindred Homestead Supply event Pete spoke about happening on December 6th!

https://clarkgreenbiz.com/news-and-events/events/morning-blend/end-of-the-year-morning-blend

Karissa shares her thoughts on Palestine.

Journalists/groups recommended in the episode:

Abby Martin/Media Roots Radio

Rania Khalek

Katie Halper

Jewish Voice for Peace

Great breakdown about Israel's lies thoroughly explored and released today by journalist Briahna Joy Gray:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS6lVAa1mfI

Donate for Gaza emergency relief:

Palestine Children's Relief Fund:

https://www.pcrf.net

Medical Aid for Palestinians:

http://ww.map.org.uk

Anera:

https://www.anera.org

Follow our IG and FB stories where we'll be sharing local actions calling for an end to US aid to Israel, ceasefire, and the freedom and liberation of Palestine.

(Part 6) A continued investigation into the recent shenanigans of the railroad baron, Eric Temple.

This is an additional 3-parter of the "Power and Money in Clark County" series about a county-sanctioned planned environmental disaster (on the scale of thousands of acres) along OUR PUBLIC RAILROAD, an irresponsible partnership with a lawless corporate bully, and a call-to-action for listeners to stand up against those who are currently running the show for the future of Clark County.

This is an urgent ongoing story that needs to make its way out to all residents of Clark County as soon as possible, so we will be releasing one episode per day over the weekend and need YOUR help activating your friends and neighbors against this massive assault on everything we love about this region---an assault that is happening in real time as PVJR continues construction out in Chelatchie against the explicit direction from Clark County to stop.

There is no other option: It is time for the county to part ways with Eric Temple! TERMINATE, REMEDIATE, REPEAL!

(Part 5) A continued investigation into the recent shenanigans of the railroad baron, Eric Temple.

This is an additional 3-parter of the "Power and Money in Clark County" series about a county-sanctioned planned environmental disaster (on the scale of thousands of acres) along OUR PUBLIC RAILROAD, an irresponsible partnership with a lawless corporate bully, and a call-to-action for listeners to stand up against those who are currently running the show for the future of Clark County.

This is an urgent ongoing story that needs to make its way out to all residents of Clark County as soon as possible, so we will be releasing one episode per day over the weekend and need YOUR help activating your friends and neighbors against this massive assault on everything we love about this region---an assault that is happening in real time as PVJR continues construction out in Chelatchie against the explicit direction from Clark County to stop.

There is no other option: It is time for the county to part ways with Eric Temple! TERMINATE, REMEDIATE, REPEAL!

A continued investigation into the recent shenanigans of the railroad baron, Eric Temple.

This is an additional 3-parter of the "Power and Money in Clark County" series about a county-sanctioned planned environmental disaster (on the scale of thousands of acres) along OUR PUBLIC RAILROAD, an irresponsible partnership with a lawless corporate bully, and a call-to-action for listeners to stand up against those who are currently running the show for the future of Clark County.

This is an urgent ongoing story that needs to make its way out to all residents of Clark County as soon as possible, so we will be releasing one episode per day over the weekend and need YOUR help activating your friends and neighbors against this massive assault on everything we love about this region---an assault that is happening in real time as PVJR continues construction out in Chelatchie against the explicit direction from Clark County to stop.

There is no other option: It is time for the county to part ways with Eric Temple! TERMINATE, REMEDIATE, REPEAL!

Karissa and Phillip wrap up their conversation about how we might go about surfing this shitty apocalypse by discussing a group called Climate Defiance, who are doing the great civil disobedience work that this moment calls for to save our collective futures. They lay out a framework of priorities to help you assess where you can allocate your time and efforts to be the most effective in your climate activism. Be sure to stick around for the outro, where Karissa also calls for a new gathering of local “climate realists” for building up a political outside game to push the local climate deniers and delayers in power to act, as well as for doing the work of building dual power for climate resiliency, climate mitigation, and having strong, parallel institutions in place to meet people’s needs through community as the system inevitably breaks down.

We hope this series has helped listeners understand the science, the urgency, and how best to realize your role in this movement to save the planet. We aim to empower you to connect with your community in a time that community is needed most.

If you want to hear more of Karissa and Phillip’s thoughts on the state and tactics of the local environmental movement, consider becoming a patron for $5/month on Patreon to support our work and access the extended cut of this episode with exclusive content.

Show Plugs:

Learn more and support Climate Defiance in their important work:

https://www.climatedefiance.org/

Find your Buy Nothing Project neighborhood group: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1UUkRz8r0KBYwkabItdSAC0bMjck&ll=45.59365842064566%2C-122.63149901951837&z=11&fbclid=IwAR30a7pu4Eekyl_eVI6q59kqZpawjosf5qxUtguPMmSno-G6iZtfayvFSGc

Check out Urban Abundance:

https://www.urbanabundance.org/

Check out the Vancouver Free Fridge Project:

https://vancouverfreefridgeproject.weebly.com/

Message the Everything is Fine in SWWA Facebook or Instagram to share any thoughts, ideas, or your interest in the “Climate Realists” idea!

For this episode, Karissa and Phillip look at the big picture of what and who the biggest greenhouse gas emitters are so that we can position ourselves to most effectively target our climate activism, which we will discuss further in Part 4 as we bring it back through the local lens.

We discuss biggest emitters by institution, sector, nation, and class, beginning with revealing the top institutional polluter in the world: the US military. We look at the bipartisan consensus that exists to allow the US war machine to rage on with impunity and to continue increasing funding year after year, as well as the disturbing lack of prioritization the climate movement gives this life-destroying mass consumer of fossil fuels.

Next, we look at the top two emitters by sector. Some may know that fossil fuels from the energy sector are number one but may be unfamiliar with the widespread rapid deforestation and methane emissions associated with the animal agriculture industry that is the second-most source of global GHG emissions, and something we theoretically could stop tomorrow if we boycotted that industry. Additionally, Karissa tells a related story about the Colorado River, beef, and water use in Arizona that keeps her up at night!

Next, we talk about carbon inequality among nations and most importantly, by class. Studies show us the jaw-dropping disparity in emissions between the billionaire class and the rest of us, and we make the case that going after the capitalist class IS climate activism based on this information. We talk the disgusting and obscene high emissions behaviors of Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, as well as certain wealthy celebrities, who some continue to idolize and carry water for despite them being absolute, unequivocal climate criminals.

So, now that we’ve laid the groundwork analyzing the worst offenders threatening the Earth and all its inhabitants, we will be ready to analyze and rank tactics to most effectively upend the system on Part 4, the final episode of the “Surfing the Apocalypse” series!

(Photo Credit: Amelia Bates, "The US Air Force Want to Burn Toxic Military Waste on a Beach in Guam." from Grist)