What options does anyone have for protecting the Earth-- while surviving economically? People who say, "Keep fossil fuels in the ground" (to limit ecological damage) may not understand how much fossil fuels and mining go into manufacturing and operating computers, vehicles, solar PV hardware, industrial wind turbines, batteries and much of our food.
Organizations like the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance advocate for engaging Indigenous groups before exploration of mining sites begins-- which mining corporations have rarely done. Many Indigenous groups support "Free, Prior and Informed Consent" before mining-- a right articulated by the United Nations. Galina Angarova, head of Securing Indigenous Peoples' Rights in the Green Economy, now works to get car companies like Tesla to respect Indigenous Peoples' rights.
Individual households also must contend with increasing pressure to adopt more, new technologies.
To protect the Earth and live sustainably, could we adopt audacious goals"neighborhood by neighborhood? Would every school prohibit cell phones and have students grow 50% of their food? Would one billion volunteers agree to having only one child? Could we phase out individually-owned computers and support libraries with computer access? Would we agree to phase out individually-owned vehicles, redesign communities to make them walkable and support public transportation? Would telecom providers agree to work only with existing data centers and access networks? Would every household reduce its consumption by three percent per month for three years?
What audacious goals can you name to decrease our species' harmful ecological impacts?
OTHER NEWS
AT&T has requested that the California PUC allow it to
discontinue landline phone service. Such a move would especially
impact people with disabilities, residents in rural areas, and anyone with only
dial-up internet access. Many rural California areas have limited or no mobile
reception. Many people stay connected and emergency-ready by landlines. To
preserve wired landline/legacy copper service in California, act BEFORE March
19, when the CPUC will make a decision about AT&T's request:
* Submit a comment to the docket. Go to: Click Here and
click on Add Public Comment.
* Contact (weekly or as often as you'd like) the Public Advisor's Office: https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/pao/ Email:
public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov
Call: 866-849-8390 or 415-703-2074; TTY 866-836-7825
Write: CPUC Public Advisor's Office, 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102
* Email Commissioner Reynolds (assigned to the case). Remind him briefly and
courteously about how essential landline service is to you (and/or a family
member, friend): john.reynolds@cpuc.ca.gov
* Sign a petition: Click Here
or Click Here
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has classified social media as "a public health hazard" and "an environmental toxin." (Wow!) The mayor claims that TikTok, YouTube and Facebook are "fueling a mental health crisis by designing their platforms with addictive and dangerous features."
U.S. brain tumor rates are rising (likely because of chronic mobile phone use). Meanwhile, the National Institutes of Health has halted its study of cell phone radiation harms; and no additional RFR research is planned. Read Dr. Devra Davis' brilliant piece, "Why did NIH abruptly halt research on the harms of cell phone radiation?"
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