Odds are, if you fly on a somewhat regular basis, your air travel is the largest component of your personal carbon footprint. For some travelers, it has created a sense of shame and alarm. I wrote about what the science says about the climate impacts of air travel and unpacked some of the ethical questions embedded therein.
Raise your hand
Across four hours over two nights, climate change barely received 15 minutes of airtime at the first 2020 Democratic presidential debates. And the time that was devoted to the issue wasn’t spent well. That’s a pretty strong case for why climate change deserves it’s own debate event.
State of the Union
The President came out swinging on climate change during the State of the Union address, calling it the greatest threat to future generations. Other lawmakers begged to differ.
Yours Truly - © Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
Germany's Sunniest
Nestled in the Black Forest, Freiburg, Germany prides itself on its green credentials. But some activists are concerned that this city is not doing enough, with new development plans that may undermine some of its gains.
The old city
Zunkunft statt Braunkohle
Activists from Germany and Poland met at the border to protest the expansion of coal mining in the region, holding hands to form a human chain. Despite the push for renewables, one German state is considering expanding existing mining for lignite, the dirtiest form of coal. Locals are concerned about losing their homes as these massive open pit mines expand.
The title of the post translates to "A future without lignite," a slogan I saw on a protest sign.
A coal-fired power plant and a wind turbine near the Polish border in Germany