Introduction: ‘a little flu’ As the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, forces governments around the world to enact social distancing measures, Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro has consistently downplayed the pandemic. Brazil’s coronavirus response will not only leave many people dead who could have been saved, but it also severely threatens Brazil’s Indigenous population of […]
Environmental Justice
The Brazilian Holocaust: Anti-Indigenous Fascists are on the brink of destroying the Amazon Rainforest – Join the Boycott to Stop Them
Introduction A teenage member of the Yanomami Indigenous Nation, from deep in the Amazon rainforest, died of COVID-19 this week. Many news outlets reported that this demonstrates how widespread the Coronavirus has become, but few have connected the dots from this tragic death to the forces of capitalism, the Brazilian government’s genocidal policy and attitude toward Indigenous […]
Coronavirus and the Climate: A Singular Crisis
Introduction The ongoing pandemic of the novel coronavirus – COVID-19 – is already affecting all our lives. While the full extent of its spread and resultant mortality is yet to be seen, there is no doubt that in terms of media coverage, social dynamics, economic consequences and government reaction, something unprecedented is happening. Far from […]
Amid mass protests, democratic debates ignore climate crisis
During the CNN and New York Times Democratic Debate at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, moderators did not ask a single question about the climate crisis. Twelve candidates sparred for three hours over topics including impeachment, Syria, healthcare, the economy, gun violence and women’s reproductive health, but they never directly addressed the hottest topic of […]
The Permian Highway Pipeline and the battle for Texas’ future
This story has been updated as of October 25, 2019. The Permian Highway Pipeline is slated to run 430 miles through Texas, but a coalition of environmental organizations, local governments and private landowners are standing in the way to protect their land, water and future. In 1996 Richard Kinder left his job as President and […]
‘A new era altogether’: Youth climate activists testify to congress
Youth climate activists addressed the US House Climate Crisis Committee and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Wednesday, September 18. All of the committee members who spoke seemed to agree that climate change is a serious threat, but the congress members and activists clashed over how, and to what extent, the United States should act. Meet the Activists […]
‘It’s not worth it:’ Petrochemical pollution burns across Houston
The city of Houston, Texas is often referred to as ‘the energy capital of the world.’ In addition to being home to oil and gas giants like BP America, ConocoPhillips and Shell, the Houston metropolitan area is dotted with petrochemical plants. Roughly 400 chemical plants employ 36,000 people, generating 40% of the nation’s chemicals and […]
Living amidst climate collapse
For decades, nation-states and corporations have stalled in addressing the enormous threat posed by global warming. It has now been over 30 years since the planet has experienced a colder than average month. The last four years were the four hottest years on record. Humanity’s emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases continue to increase, reaching the […]