Mingling with Trumpers

Kathy the Fierce hoisted a “Climate is a Crisis” sign while I kept a wary eye for anyone inclined to get physical. Kathy’s sign immediately attracted a slew of disapproving stares. A man in overalls sporting a red “Keep America Great” hat warned that the Secret Service would evict us. Continue Reading →

Biden didn’t need to do this to me

Even for those of us who’ve decided who we’re going to support, there’s value in attending other candidates’ events to further elevate the climate conversation. That was my intent at Joe Biden’s “block party” on Sunday. After long answers to a handful of pre-arranged questions, Biden invited attendees to come up front for a photo and a brief question.

Sam Kuhn, Shaun Ahern, Kathy Byrnes, and I accepted his offer. I wanted to ask Biden about his stated opposition to new pipelines even as he supports replacing older existing pipelines. Those two positions are incompatible, and I wanted to know where he really stood.

Click on the image to check out our interaction, which is disturbing on a number of levels. Biden doesn’t even attempt to address my concern. All he says is that serious climate action by 2030 isn’t realistic. Continue Reading →

Who’s the worst presidential candidate on climate?

That’s easy: Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Climate activists also have reservations about Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg, but hands-down, Klobuchar is the worst. She claims to want to address climate change, but emphatically supports the continued build-out of fossil fuel infrastructure.

Sorry, Senator. You can’t be pro-fracking and pro-pipeline and say you’re going to address the climate crisis. Since the corporate media have ignored Klobuchar’s track record, it’s up to us to get the word out. Continue Reading →

Climate Crisis Parade Could be Huge

The Climate Crisis Parade planned for February 1st in Des Moines is shaping up to be a major event. As of today, a coalition of 55 organizations has signed on as co-sponsors. The primary focus of the multi-faceted event is to challenge the media to do a better job covering the worsening climate crisis.

Every four years, Des Moines is “media central” during the days leading up to the Iowa Caucuses. To act on this unprecedented opportunity for national and international coverage, the coalition is inviting participants to meet at Cowles Commons to hear influential climate voices make the climate connections the media is ignoring. Continue Reading →

Vote Twice!

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announced last month that nine Iowans voted twice in the previous election. Ouch. Bad voters. Everyone knows that voting twice — or even once if you’re deceased — is always wrong. Except when it comes to …

… the Iowa Caucuses! That’s right. On February 3rd, Iowa Democrats who cast their support for a candidate who receives less than 15 percent of the vote get to vote a second time.

Is this a great state, or what! Continue Reading →