Listen in to hear Carol Oldham (MCAN's Executive Director) as we discuss this year’s Local Environmental Action (LEA19) Conference. Bringing together community leaders, environmental justice advocates and activists from across the region to build skills, discuss new ideas, and be inspired for the work ahead.

The Contact List:

• The LEA '19 website
• The Agenda
• The Workshops
• The Keynote
• Registration

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

Paying a fee to drive in NYC may be an idea whose time has come. Is it fair? Is it practical? Is it coming to Boston? Then we pose the philosophical question: What is the best way for a Climate Hawk to shape the coming 2020 race? One path is to insist on a “Climate Qualified” candidate, who 1) comprehends the emergency 2) has a pragmatic political plan to get the votes to pass legislation and 3) proposes sound policy. Listen in!

The reading list:

• WBUR on NYC congestion pricing
• Congestion princing in Boston?
• VMT
• New Yorker on climate drivers of Latin American Immigration
• Filibuster reform?

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

Alexandria Ocassio-Cortez’s appearance on a cable TV town hall gives us lots of food for thought. Listen in!

The reading list:

• YouTube of the MSNBC town hall with AOC
  • https://youtu.be/RrsQVEk__Hc
  • https://youtu.be/Mg5d6Mz_luI
  • https://youtu.be/3vqMeG1P5NY
  • https://youtu.be/rN0cDlCGkgI
  • https://youtu.be/fSLoiKh69fc
  • https://youtu.be/F1mrF_lZK1k
• Markey upbeat after Senate vote on GND
• Grassley calls Trump comment on wind "idiotic"
• AOC claps back at heckler

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

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.

The reading list

• Vox on the GND
• More media coverage?
• What is a Truth Sandwich
• Fortune Magazine propagates the distortion
• Why social aspects of GND are critical
• WBUR CityScape series on climate
• Local Environmental Action Conference

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

President Trump made headlines this week 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 reading list:

• GRIST on what a climate emergency would look like
• Climate Leviathan
• Who was Cincinnatus?
• Washington and Cincinnatus
• HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

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 activist be in challenging erstwhile allies like Feinstein, as compared to clear opponents like Mitch McConnell? Listen is as we discuss.

The Reading list:

• McKibben in the New Yorker
• A defense in the Atlantic
• The long video
• "Why social policy essential to GND"

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

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

The reading list:

• Permaculture
• The Catholic Worker
• The bystander effect
• The Ominvore's Dilemma

Send us an email at [email protected].

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

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.

 https://soundcloud.com/massclimateaction/a-human-sized-drama-in-minnesota-the-climate-minute-podcast

 The reading list:

• Unicorn Riot gives a good accounting of the action, with lots of video
• Eric Holthaus makes a report on the action
• The 4necessity website
• The necessity defense in a previous case
• An explanation of the necessity defense
• Criminalization of pipeline protests

Send us an email at [email protected].

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

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. Remember, there is a Webinar on 2/26. Sign up! You can also hear us on Podbean and Stitcher

The reading list:

• A short description of the bills we like
• RSVP for the Legislative Conversation Webinar 2/26!
• HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

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.

The reading list:

• LA to ditch fossil fuels
• Climate change as security threat
• Eversource jumps into wind power
• NYT: the fourth hottest year
• When hungry polar bears come to visit
• HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre