The Obama Administration’s decision to allow oil exploration in the Chukchi Sea shows passivity where leadership is required. Climate hawks, like the “Kayaktivists” in Seattle, will just have to stop Shell by themselves. The framing of the TPP on the news is inaccurate. Instead of endless discussion of winners and losers, we should ask “Why can’t an environmental group have the same access to the negotiations as Exxon? Why isn’t Bill McKibben at the table?”   Finally, consider if the current global refugee crisis is a harbinger of the future in a warming world.

The reading list:

• Obama approves Arctic drilling
• Seattle votes for a delay
• Kayaktivists say “Shell No!”
• Bill McKibben blasts the Administration on the Shell decision
• Naomi Klein on Free Trade and Climate
• How to connect climate damage to immigration

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