To Fix America's Broken Recycling System, States Want Companies to Foot the Bill

The ineffective recycling system should be considered criminal:

https://time.com/5790656/fixing-recycling-in-america/

Two visions for the climate in 2050

From: https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-future-f8d16c5b-adda-4d69-9421-ebbc7f252fd4.html?chunk=3&utm_term=twsocialshare#story3%20#axiosfuture

Two architects of the Paris Agreement are presenting a pair of possible scenarios for the Earth's climate in 2050 — one in which we've met the carbon reduction targets laid out in the agreement, and one in which we've failed.

• The authors argue we have a decade left to pick which path the planet will take: catastrophe or hope.

Background: Former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres and climate diplomat Tom Rivett-Carnac were instrumental in guiding the Paris climate accord, which committed countries to reducing carbon emissions sufficiently to keep global temperature rise below at least 2° C by 2100.

What's new: In their book published yesterday, "The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis," the pair sketch out what the climate could look like by mid-century, depending on whether we meet the Paris goals.

• If we succeed, they foresee a world where forests cover half the land surface, air pollution has disappeared and fossil fuels have been eliminated.
• If we fail, warming will be on a pace for a 3°C increase by 2050, the air will become unbreathable and the very future of human civilization will be in doubt.

What they're saying: "If we continue where we are now, we are going to be irreparably going down a course of constant destruction," Figueres told The Guardian. Altering that path will require sharp technological and political change, especially in the United States.

The bottom line: The choices made in 2020 will help decide the climate in 2050.

Oil and gas giants Shell and Total get serious about solar

A good sign, seeing the massive funding available to oil companies put toward alternative energies:

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2020/02/09/oil-and-gas-giants-shell-and-total-get-serious-about-solar/

Quadrupling turbines, US can meet 2030 wind-energy goals

This is encouraging:

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-02-quadrupling-turbines-wind-energy-goals.html

Robert Reich: 5 Ways William Barr is Turning America Into a Dictatorship

He always details things well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAF00S7qxFQ

Reports of Huge Reductions in This Potent Greenhouse Gas Are Wrong – Emissions Are Soaring

Ugh. Getting a handle on climate change isn't going to be easy with players like this:

"Scientists are concerned, because HFC-23 is a very potent greenhouse gas, with one ton of its emissions being equivalent to the release of more than 12,000 tons of carbon dioxide."

https://scitechdaily.com/reports-of-huge-reductions-in-this-potent-greenhouse-gas-are-wrong-emissions-are-soaring/

Trump’s Path to Weaker Fuel Efficiency Rules May Lead to a Dead End

Trump's policies aren't just bad for the environment, they don't make economic sense either:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/climate/trump-fuel-economy-rollback.html

Bernie Sanders isn’t a democratic socialist. He is a social democrat

Taking on the label of "socialist" doesn't help, especially when one isn't:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bernie-sanders-isn-t-democratic-165510850.html

The intelligence community erupts as Trump purges everyone opposed to Russian election interference

This is just scary:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/2/21/1920849/-The-intelligence-community-erupts-as-Trump-purges-everyone-opposed-to-Russian-election-interference

Fears of Massive Greenhouse Gas Release From Old Carbon Reservoirs Are Overblown

Methane from our technology is still a big problem, but at least this is good news:

https://scitechdaily.com/fears-of-massive-greenhouse-gas-release-from-old-carbon-reservoirs-are-overblown/

'Vastly underestimated': Fossil fuels emit 40% more methane than previously thought, study finds

New news about climate is rarely good news. This is no exception:

https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/methane-emissions

Rush Limbaugh: Trump Told Me Not To Apologize For Pete Buttigieg Remarks

A dick being a dick to a dick about a dick comment:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rush-limbaugh-donald-trump-pete-buttigieg_n_5e4c65c2c5b6eb8e95b45410

Millions of Arctic Methane Hotspots Detected by NASA – Global Climate Change Impact

Methane lasts "only" 12 years in the atmosphere, but it's far more potent than carbon dioxide (which can last thousands of years):

https://scitechdaily.com/millions-of-arctic-methane-hotspots-detected-by-nasa-global-climate-change-impact/

John Oliver destroyed every argument against Medicare For All

Some great points here:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/2/16/1919769/-John-Oliver-DESTROYED-every-argument-against-M4A-tonight

Jeff Bezos pledges $10 billion to fight climate change

This is the way to go. But put a billion into getting rid of Republicans, since that will probably do more to fight climate change than anything else:

https://www.aol.com/article/finance/2020/02/17/jeff-bezos-pledges-dollar10-billion-to-fight-climate-change/23928997/

Study of Recent Extinctions Estimates That 1/3 of Plant & Animal Species Could Be Gone in 50 Years

Truly scary and heartbreaking:

https://scitechdaily.com/study-of-recent-extinctions-estimates-that-1-3-of-plant-animal-species-could-be-gone-in-50-years/

How a Bible prophecy shapes Trump's foreign policy

Yet another reason to vote this tangerine clown out of office:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmWL0I3oytw&feature=youtu.be

A Group of Big Businesses is Backing a Carbon Tax. Could It Be a Solution to Climate Change?

Not alone, but it's a start:

https://time.com/5783298/carbon-tax-jp-morgan/

The Big Roadblock For Bernie Sanders’ Agenda

As I see it, Bernie's biggest liabilities are that he's really old and he has embraced the mantle of democratic socialist when he is actually a social democrat (there is a big difference, not to mention that only 47% of Americans say they would vote for a socialist: https://news.gallup.com/poll/254120/less-half-vote-socialist-president.aspx). This is another:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/roadblock-bernie-sanders-congress-medicare-for-all_n_5e45ac30c5b6e095c6bcceb0

Trump made Jessie Liu a U.S. attorney. Now he's punishing and silencing her for doing her job

Another example of Trump being weak, thin-skinned, petty and pathetic:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/2/12/1918682/-Trump-made-Jessie-Liu-a-U-S-attorney-now-he-s-punishing-her-and-silencing-her-for-doing-that-job

Why Trump might soon make (some) scientists very happy

More examples of Trump's anti-science governing:

https://bigthink.com/politics-current-affairs/scientific-journals

Gallup: 60% of Americans Say They Could Vote for an Atheist President

We're getting there:

https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2020/02/11/gallup-60-of-americans-say-they-could-vote-for-an-atheist-president/

But it doesn't look good for socialists. Warning, Bernie!

Trump Calls For End To Student Loan Forgiveness Program

Of course Trump is on the side of encouraging ignorance:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2020/02/11/trump-student-loans-forgiveness/#62c2b3b86b3d

Trump ‘turns back the clock’ by luring drilling companies to pristine lands

What a shitbird. He touted planting a trillion trees, but always does crap like this:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/12/trumps-legacy-drilled-public-lands-and-the-resulting-carbon-emissions

'Grounds for Optimism.' Global CO2 Emissions Plateaued in 2019, Defying Expectations, Says Report

Some good news on the climate change front, for once!

https://time.com/5782089/iea-emissions-energy-climate-change/

UK coal phase-out date pulled forward, as latest stats show emissions fell again last year

"the UK has slashed its coal-fired power from a 70 per cent share of electricity supplies in 1990 to just three per cent today."

https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4010075/uk-coal-phase-date-pulled-forward-stats-show-emissions-fell-last

Power shift: EU coal output falls 24% in 2019

Good news:

https://www.euractiv.com/section/electricity/news/power-shift-eu-coal-output-falls-24-in-2019/

The Golden Age of White Collar Crime

Depressing:

https://www.huffpost.com/highline/article/white-collar-crime/

Democratic Presidents Manage the Economy Better Than Republicans

Data to use against Republicans who think they are good for the economy:

http://presidentialdata.org/

Fox News Internal Report: Their Own Guests Spread “Disinformation”

This is a serious admission. Will it lead to any journalistic integrity?:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/tippling/2020/02/07/fox-news-internal-report-their-own-guests-spread-disinformation/

Wildlife Markets Are Ticking Time Bombs For Epidemics Like Coronavirus

If this leads to a ban on wild animal markets, it may be worth it:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/china-coronavirus-wet-markets-disease_n_5e3df0a2c5b6bb0ffc1113fd

The Trump Recession. It's already happening.

The truth is, we need a recession to have a good chance of deposing Trump. However, the economy appears to be doing well...but perhaps not:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/2/1/1915797/-The-Trump-Recession-It-s-already-happening

Trump’s Acquittal Shows The GOP Senate Acts Like A Cult

No surprise there:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trumps-acquittal-proves-the-gop-senate-acts-like-a-cult_n_5e3dcf51c5b6f1f57f10f626

January 2020 Was the Warmest Ever on Record in Europe and Marginally Warmest Globally

Another grim record broken:

https://time.com/5779142/global-temperatures-warmest-january/

Trump's total conflicts to date

Republicans want to investigate Hunter Biden but ignore the massive number of conflicts Trump is already known to be guilty of:

https://mobile.twitter.com/waltshaub/status/1225534590707740673

Treasury Department Hands Over Hunter Biden Info After Withholding Trump’s Tax Records

I am so sick of Republican hypocrisy:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/senate-republicans-hunter-biden_n_5e3c61bfc5b6b70886fc4ed4

Antarctica just hit 65 degrees, its warmest temperature ever recorded

Oh crap. Sea level rising may happen much faster than expected:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/02/07/antarctica-just-hit-65-degrees-its-warmest-temperature-ever-recorded/

Judge Andrew Napolitano: Despite his impeachment trial acquittal, Trump clearly guilty of a high crime

Another anti-Trump article from Judge Napolitano on Fox News (with furious comments posted by conservatives):

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/judge-andrew-napolitano-despite-his-impeachment-trial-acquittal-trump-clearly-guilty-of-a-high-crime

Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin says the American Dream is best achieved in Nordic countries

This is why we should have a social democracy system:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/02/03/finland-american-dream/

Trump Ripped For Disrespectful National Anthem Antics At His Super Bowl Party

Remember how the conservatives howled at Obama for being disrespectful for saluting a marine while holding a coffee? I bet we won't hear a peep from them about this:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-anthem-super-bowl_n_5e38a94ec5b66c4eafd8b38c

Climate Models Are Running Red Hot, and Scientists Don’t Know Why

Over 5 degree C increase in several models? Damn, this is scary:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-02-03/climate-models-are-running-red-hot-and-scientists-don-t-know-why

Bernie Sanders outpaces every candidate—including Trump—in donations from active-duty troops

This is extremely unexpected to say the least!

"Harp reports that Sanders tops the list with $185,625 in active-duty U.S. military donations. This is more than twice the amount the next top Democratic candidate has received (Pete Buttigieg at $80,250), but most surprisingly, it is considerably more than the $113,012 pulled in by the Trump reelection campaign."

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/31/1915527/-Bernie-Sanders-outpaces-every-candidate-including-Trump-in-donations-from-active-duty-troops

I'm a Pastor Who Ran for Congress as a Republican. Here's Why I'm Encouraging My Fellow Evangelicals Not to Vote for Donald Trump

Another attack on Trump by an evangelical. Good!

https://time.com/5775440/donald-trump-evangelical-opposition/

Boom of Vegetation, Fueled by Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Absorbs Carbon and Cools Our Planet

More evidence of climate change, although this one has a (rare) positive outcome:

https://scitechdaily.com/boom-of-vegetation-fueled-by-greenhouse-gas-emissions-absorbs-carbon-and-cools-our-planet/