FINAL WARNING

It's beyond disappointing that today, Earth Day, the LaX Tribune chose to highlight a story about decades' old environmental issues and totally ignore the extreme crisis we face right now from a rapidly heating planet. Yes, the climate crisis is mentioned in the first sentence, but then off we go into bedtime story land when all men lived as brothers and nothing bad will ever happen.

I beg to differ. We are on the edge of an unlivable Earth.

Demand CLIMATE CRISIS COVERAGE every day. We should understand as much about how close we are to the edge (close!) as we do about how high school sports teams are doing, shouldn't we?

This means we could possibly stay at or below 1.5° of warming, but it's not likely on our current path.

This is the truth of the situation no matter how successful a previous environmental movement was.

And this is one reason stories about past victories are no longer valid.

And

This Earth Day, call out the Tribune for spreading happy news instead of telling people what is really happening and how to take action:

Quit driving

Quit meat & dairy

DeGrowth

Elect climate champions (good luck)

Divest

Act

Earth Week

First, can we agree that this is not a festive time? Party's over. Time to act. Have you read the latest IPCC report? Here are a few headlines:

'It's now or never': UN climate report shows globe is on 'track toward an unlivable world'

The world is running out of options to hit climate goals, U.N. report shows - With the world on track to blaze past its climate goals, only immediate, sweeping societal transformation can stave off catastrophic warming -

Climate Report Offers Some Hope, but the Need for Action is Urgent

Is what we are doing decreasing carbon emissions and reducing the need for people to use fossil fuels, like driving around in fossil fuel vehicles, or isn't it? That is the question.

Wednesday at noon: How EVs can help save the world. In person at English Lutheran Church, 16th & King. The #2 bus stops at 16th and Cass. 

Friday at 11:30 a.m.: Earth Day - Protect the Future. Weigent Park.

Saturday at noon: Solar Schools Bike Tour. Start at Hamilton School, 1111 7th St. S. 

Sunday from 11 to 5: Earth Fair. Myrick Park. 

How to reduce household emissions:

• Go car-free or car-light. Use active transportation - walk, bike, bus - whenever possible. Combine trips. Car pool. For long distance travel, use the bus or train. Don't put schools on the edge of town.
  
• Eat local, mostly vegetables. Help grow gardens. Cook with electricity, not gas.
  
• Insulate and tighten your house as much as possible. If you can, switch to electricity for heating. In summer, suck in cooler air at night, then close up and pull shades during hot days. 
• Get involved in La Crosse's Climate Action Plan but taking the survey, sharing your story, hosting a public meeting about it, and supporting action steps when they are finalized. Tell others how to reduce emissions. Our whole globe needs to do this. One household can be the model. One community can make a difference.
  
• Demand coverage of the climate crisis in our media. Talk to others about the urgency of this issue.

"Evil doesn’t begin to approach it". Noam Chomsky on the Climate Crisis and Resistance. A webinar on climate action. April 23 at 2 p.m. Central Time.

"I don't know what word in the language—I can’t find one—that applies to people of that kind, who are willing to sacrifice the existence of organized human life, not in the distant future, so they can put a few more dollars in highly overstuffed pockets. The word “evil” doesn’t begin to approach it."

Social Justice Week at UWL, April 4 -7

 

 

The Institute for Social Justice at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is hosting its Fifth Annual Social Justice Week April 4 through 7. The theme is Spaces, Places, and People: The Urgency of Intersectional Environmentalism, Unified Communities and Mutual Networks.

Speakers and panels include national and local leaders in in-person and virtual presentations. Several sessions examine social justice issues in the La Crosse area.

On April 4 at 5:30 p.m., hear from organizers of the Hate Has No Home Here campaign in La Crosse in person or online

On April 5, at 5:30 p.m. the topic will be, “Names, Images, and Power: Can there be a reconciliation without truth in occupied lands?" with an examination of public history efforts at recognizing Ho Chunk people in the region.

Also on April 5, Professor Emeritus Al Gedicks will talk about Wisconsin tribes' decades of activism to protect water and natural resources from mining projects and their partnership with rural grassroots groups. "These campaigns signal a decisive shift in the balance of power between the extractive resource industry and Indigenous communities worldwide."

For a complete schedule of sessions and speakers, please visit the Social Justice Week website at https://www.uwlax.edu/diversity-inclusion/social-justice/social-justice-week/2022/

Ride with a Guide during Earth Month

If you really want to poke a stick in Big Oil's eye, ride the bus ... or walk or bike. If you really
believe that we must do something to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, ride the bus AND advocate for better bus service.

If you want to try the bus but you've never ridden before and aren't sure how to do it, the La Crosse Area Transit Advocates are offering four Ride with a Guide events for Earth Month. In cooperation with the La Crosse MTU, LATA's Ride with a Guide event will include a pre-ride  information session at the Transit Center with an overview of the system and information about the routes, schedules, real-time bus tracker phone app, and the transfer system. Then, participants and guide will board, pay, and ride one circuit on the bus. When the group returns to the Transit Center, there will be an informal question and answer session. 

The cost to participate is the cost of bus fare: $1.50 for adults, $0.75 for seniors/those with a disability with a Medicare card, $1.25 for youth, age 4 to 17. University students' student IDs are bus passes. Participants will receive a One Ride Free card at the conclusion of the event. PLEASE REGISTER IN ADVANCE!

Dates:

• Saturday, April 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Monday, April 11 from 2 to 4 p.m.
• Thursday, April 21 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Saturday, April 30 from 4 to 6 p.m.
  

Sign up (space is limited) at this link OR call 608-315-2693 and leave your name and number for a call back. 

If you believe that there is a climate crisis, changing transportation habits and advocating for better transportation systems is a great way to make a big difference right away. Be or become a visible bus rider. Ride with your child, invite your neighbor to ride with you. Ask your employer to join the MTU Works program (subsidized bus fares), talk to your city council member about getting more service on the routes you use or new service to places the bus doesn't go right now. Join local and regional transit advocacy groups. Talk to others about their transportation choices.

The best transportation is the one that fits the need. Walk when you can comfortably walk. Bike when it's a bit too far for walking. Take the bus when it's a bit too far to bike and the bus goes where you need to go. Remember, you can take your bike on the bus.

We need better bus service to get more people on the bus and out of their greenhouse gas-spewing cars. We need more people riding and advocating for the bus to get better bus service. Here's one opportunity to make and advocate for change. If you need more reasons to take the bus, check out this article from Tree Hugger.

April 2: Meet progressive candidates

 From Citizen Action Driftless Co-op:

Join the Citizen Action of Wisconsin members and Spring Election endorsed candidates for an afternoon of fun and activism (as we return to in person organizing).

 

Come and meet some of the amazing candidates we endorsed this election cycle.  Catch up with fellow activists you have not seen for a long time.  If you are new to Citizen Action of Wisconsin come out and get to know us.

 

Candidates will even be bringing volunteer opportunities so you can step up and help elect progressives this Spring!

 

RSVP HERE

 

Feel free to bring a dish to pass and drinks!