The Climate Minute

We will have a fare hike, but how does that fit the big picture?

From Governor Baker’s approach to climate issues to Lake Erie and the public trust doctrine, we cover the proverbial waterfront of Massachusetts’ global warming politics. Listen in.

A truth sandwich tells the true facts, points out the lie, and then repeats the truth. We apply this method: The Green New Deal cannot have a ‘cost’ since it has no specifics yet. The Green New Deal is essentially a ‘request for proposals’ to meet a goal, and no concrete proposals have been made. Therefore a ‘cost estimate’ is necessarily arbitrary and based on the fantasy of the estimator. We should know this when considering a report that the Green New Deal will cost 93 Trillion dollars. (Perhaps the right wing think tank that cooked the books included in their estimate a yearly flight on the space shuttle for every American. Who know?) The truth is that any estimate of the cost of the Green New Deal is premature. Further, such estimates should include the damage avoided over the next 100 years or so, and the economic growth an aggressive package would bring. We should think of the GND as an investment, not a ‘cost’. Listen in as we discuss.

President Trump made headlines for declaring a national emergency to build a wall. Quickly, the conversation turned to the precedent set by this use of powers and the question “what if the Democrats used the same tactic to tackle climate change?” Jump on our philosophical roller coaster of a discussion about declaring a national emergency. Spoiler alert: the best way to avoid a national emergency that tackles climate change is to elect candidates up and down the ballot who have a robust pro-climate action platform. How do we get such candidates? By sending a clear message that we want climate action and we will vote for climate action.

The confrontation of members of Congress by climate activists is a new and powerful tactic. Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi have both been visited. A viral video of young activists and Senator Feinstein seems to exemplify all the issues in this complex process. Put simply, is the Senator out-of-touch with the urgency of the problem, or is she a sage veteran who can make something practical happen? How aggressive should activists be in challenging erstwhile allies like Feinstein, as compared to clear opponents like Mitch McConnell? Listen is as we discuss.

It takes a lot of personal strength and integrity to commit an act of civil disobedience. What principles and inspiration led Daniel Yildirim to become a valve turner? What sustains him on the difficult road? Listen in as we discuss.

Daniel Yildirim, along with three other 'valve turners', shut down a pipeline in Minnesota early this month. Listen in as we chat about the who, the what, the when and especially the why of this direct action against climate change. How can this act help all of us come to understand the implications of climate change? Does the 'necessity defense' apply in this case? Does the enormity and immediacy of the threat justify breaking the law? We discuss.

The Massachusetts Legislative session has just begun and it is a good time to catch up on the list of climate bills that MCAN is supporting. Executive Director Carol Oldham takes us on a tour of what is happening, and how you can help.

The science and reality of climate change is inexorable. According to the New York Times, “..the five warmest years in recorded history have been the last five, and that 18 of the 19 warmest years have occurred since 2001.” Listen in as we discuss and check in on some hungry polar bears.

John Dingell represented Detroit, but saw a whole planet. Are there others like him still around?