“We’ve got 6-8 years before the climate is so chaotic, we live in a permanent state of biblical catastrophe. And still we’re walking around like it’s 1997 and we’re at a third Eye Blind concert. I’ll never ever get used to how frickin crazy it is to be alive right now.” ~ Adam McKay, Director of Don’t Look Up.
“We have to act quickly. What we do, I believe, in the next three to four years will determine the future of humanity” ~ Sir David King, former chief scientific advisory to the British Government, 2021.
In other words, the next 2-3 years are pivotal to save the planet and prevent the deaths of hundreds of millions of people from extreme heat, drought, floods, disease and poverty.
Film Director, Adam McKay, like so many of us, is terrified. We are staring catastrophe in the face and ignoring it for short-term political gain and corporate profit. Adam directed the film Don’t Look Up, the biggest film on the climate crisis in a decade. In its first 11 days, it became Netflix’s third most-viewed film ever, and 250,000 people on IMDB gave it a strong average rating of 7.3. What more can we say?
Declare Emergency is delighted to host Adam McKay speaking about the climate crisis and the best way to force our government to take rapid action to fight it.
When: Sunday June 12 at 4:00 p.m. Central
After Adam speaks, environmental activist and co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, Roger Hallam, will speak about civil disobedience campaigns currently mobilizing across the globe. Details about how to support and join in service to this amazing campaign will follow. We will then go into breakout rooms to discuss what we have heard on the call.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
The most recent IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report issued a warning that we have a brief and closing window to avoid catastrophic consequences, stating it is “now or never” to take drastic action. Our government's lack of response to this emergency is genocide. We all must act now. We believe you feel the same and are eager to learn about what you can do to that is proven successful in the face of adversity.
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First, it is not too late for YOU to email cityclerk@cityoflacrosse.org and zzcouncilmembers@cityoflacrosse.org referencing #22-0427, "Resolution declaring a climate emergency, committing to policies opposing fossil fuel expansion and accelerating the clean energy transition, and endorsing the call for a global fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty," and indicating your strong support for such a measure.
The resolution will be on the agenda for the Common Council's June 9 6 p.m. meeting in the Council Chambers. (You can attend but there are no longer automatic public hearings at full council meetings). Only three people submitted comments to the Judiciary &Advisory committee before its May 31 meeting! COME ON!! Do it today.
A simple resolution reaffirming the city's commitment to transition from fossil fuels as it seeks to reduce its carbon emissions has run into the reality of people who think that means nothing has to change. If passed, the resolution declaring a climate emergency and pledging to begin taking concrete steps to stop burning fossil fuels would put La Crosse in a universe of more than 2,000 communities in dozens of countries.
But, apparently, this is a gas station too far for some on the city Judiciary & Advisory committee who considered it on Tuesday night. "But what about Kwik Trip!?"
This doesn't mean that Kwik Trip must cease to exist. It means Kwik Trip will need to adapt to new realities. They are supposedly business geniuses. Let them figure it out.
There will be a public hearing for a resolution declaring a climate emergency, committing to policies opposing fossil fuel expansion and accelerating the clean energy transition, and endorsing the call for a global fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty.
The City of La Crosse Climate Action Plan Steering Committee has recommended adoption of this resolution.
Please speak up to support this resolution at the Judiciary and Administration Committee Meeting on Tuesday, May 31 at 6:00 p.m.
If you attend in person (City Hall Eagle Room - Council Chambers), you will be able to register to speak in favor of the resolution or just register in favor but not speak. You may also attend virtually using the link shown below, BUT you will only be able to "speak" by typing comments in the chat which may or may not be seen by all committee members.
Whether or not you attend, please email comments in support of the resolution to cityclerk@cityoflacrosse.org and cc: zzcouncilmembers@cityoflacrosse.org. You may also deliver comments to the City Clerk by using the drop box outside of City Hall or by mail: City Clerk, 400 La Crosse Street, La Crosse WI 54601
Resolution declaring a climate emergency, committing to policies opposing fossil fuel expansion and accelerating the clean energy transition, and endorsing the call for a global fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty.
WHEREAS, the city of La Crosse is impacted by the health and safety risks of fossil fuel expansion, and particularly citizens who face socioeconomic and health inequities, including youth, elders, Indigenous people, people of color, low-income people, those experiencing mental and physical disabilities, those experiencing homelessness, and people with health conditions; and
WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report warns that the continued installation of unabated fossil fuel infrastructure will ‘lock-in’ GHG emissions; and
WHEREAS, the construction of new fossil fuel infrastructure and expanded reliance on fossil fuels exposes communities to untenable risks to the public’s health and safety at the local and global levels; and
WHEREAS, the economic opportunities presented by a clean energy transition far outweigh the opportunities presented by an economy supported by expanding fossil fuel use and extraction; and
WHEREAS, our community is committed to a just energy transition and to appropriate investments that offset the impacts of evolving industries and employment as well as ambitious investments in the green infrastructure and industries that will create jobs, decarbonize our economy, and reduce future climate change;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of La Crosse Common Council declares that a climate and ecological emergency threatens our city, citizens, and environs;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of La Crosse Common Council opposes the rollback of climate policy and affirms its ongoing commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of La Crosse Common Council endorses the call for a global Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty that will end new fossil fuel exploration and expansion, phase out existing production in line with the global commitment to limit warming to 1.5°C, and accelerate equitable transition plans; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the City of La Crosse Common Council intends to implement policies limiting or preventing fossil fuel expansion and promoting electrification because of the inherent dangers to the public’s health and safety in extraction, transport, storage, and combustion of fossil fuels; and
BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED that the Environmental Planner is requested to explore and develop policy recommendations in keeping with our local law-making power that limit fossil fuel infrastructure expansion and promote electrification and a clean energy future in order to protect public health and safety.
Climate scientist and activist Peter Kalmus has come to the conclusion that, "It’s up to the leaders of the world to stand up to [the fossil fuel industry] and to say: 'A livable planet is more important than your profits. We are not going to allow this process of delay to continue.' What worries me is that, in this critical year between Cop26 and Cop27, every signal that we’re getting from world leaders is that fossil fuels will continue to expand.
"President Biden is begging OPEC to expand production. He’s opening new lands for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and public lands of the US. Right now, what I’m seeing from world leaders, including Biden, is that they’re using the bully pulpit of their position to urge the expansion of fossil fuels. They’ve completely stopped talking about taking climate action."
We can take action. We can demand action. Declare a climate emergency.
On Tuesday, the Coulee Region Sierra Club will host a "garden crawl," to learn about local community gardens on La Crosse's north side. Not only are community gardens important for getting locally grown clean food to people who need it, they are also a way to combat greenhouse gas emissions caused by shipping products across the country. The group will meet at 5 p.m. at the Logan High School north parking lot to start and then bike and drive to a cluster of other garden sites ending at the Hunger Task Force's Kane Street Community Garden. The event is free and open to all.
La Crosse has several gardens, including the Kane Street garden, neighborhood Victory Gardens, school gardens, and community gardens funded by a grant from the FSPA. These help provide food for people who need food, as well as community, education, and exercise.
If you have a business or organization with a very nice (and not very environmentally friendly) lawn, consider making part of it into a food garden or food forest. I have always wondered, in a city where so many school families qualify for free and reduced lunch, why school lawn space is not school garden space. I don't mean the very important current, relatively small school gardens, I mean having big corn, squash, and bean fields at schools that are currently surrounded by manicured lawns.
PBS Wisconsin has a very great and inspiring talk online featuring Laura Manthe and Lea Zeide, founding members of the Ohe*Láku corn cooperative, talking about Oneida and Native food systems. They talk about the community garden, tended by everyone and producing for everyone. Indigenous food systems can be a model. The old ways served the people.
Recently, when asked about the baby formula shortage in the United States, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said, in part, "Let's be very clear. This is a capitalist country. The government does not make baby formula. Nor should it."
Should the government make baby formula or should the government support regional public facilities that ensure people access to their fundamental needs? Or does, "this is a capitalist country," trump the right of a human to have enough food to eat? The baby formula shortage is the result of a corporate product delivery, monopoly system where the goal is not producing baby formula, it is producing profits. And, it's the result of a corporate work system where women are not supported as mothers, are not given sufficient time to be with their infants, and do not have sufficient opportunities and support to nurse. To be sure, there are many women who cannot breastfeed for medical reasons and there will always be a need for formula. But the support is just not there for those who would like to, and that exacerbates the problem.
Check out the USDA Food programs page. Is this the sign of a healthy society? We have subsidies and assistance for children, women and infants, seniors, and more. If we really had an "of the people, by the people, for the people" system, why would we need all these supports for a fundamental human need?
The school lunch program (USDA Food Service for Children) has devolved from a way to provide healthy food for kids and assistance for local farmers to a multi-million dollar honey pot for food manufacturers to market packaged, unitized food products wrapped in plastic and styrofoam.
People who don't earn enough at their jobs to afford food for their families must rely on donations of packaged and canned items that were probably grown, fertilized, picked, processed, packaged, stored, and shipped from hundreds of miles away. And the donation events are sometimes hyped and sponsored by the very corporations who are not paying their workers enough to buy the food in the first place.
Rube Goldberg couldn't have devised a less efficient food system for the humans. Scrooge McDuck couldn't have devised a more delicious system for the capitalists.
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