LGBTQ in Vermont and homophobia video

NEW VLOG PROJECT: NUCLEAR POWER!

hi all,
Sarah Gilkerson and I are starting a exciting new project.

check it.

Corn and heat waves!

On Aljazeera today there is a couple minute feature on how 29 states in the U.S. are experiencing drought and how corn crops are being impacted. At one point in the video they feature a politician saying that he is "sending an extra prayer every day for rain." Aljazeera hints that this is really the only thing he can do. Right? WRONG!!!

It's time to start finding creative solutions to these new issues that monocultured corn is starting to create in a world with 391 parts per million of carbon in the atmosphere and growing. This isn't a dry summer, it's a tiny preview of our reality. By tiny I mean, it is going to get worse than this and it's going to get a LOT worse if we don't put an end to our harmful practices now!

Colorado and more

Record temperature highs. Record storms. Record fires. I'm done breaking records. Totally done.

 The Midwest is blazing! Sill want that fourth car?

Students in the U.S., Watch Out!

I would write a rant, but the picture says it all!

I just want to point out that through my travels people all over the world are amazed by how much money we pay for school in the U.S. Priorities people, priorities. We need a earth to live on, food to eat, water to drink, and equal access to education. Does it make it any better if people are dying, in debt, and/or hungry in the U.S. because of our national policies instead of another country's international policy? Come on now people!

Heartbreak in Rio

Wild fires in Colorado. Tornado in Florida. Went to Rhode Island last week and was met by grueling temperatures and dreadful humidity. I hear my hometown has temperatures in the 90s. It's not even July yet. I remember when it wasn't safe to plant before July 4th due to cold nights and frosts. Mild winters and hot summers are happening everywhere. That's just the U.S. too, there have been floods in China, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and a tornado in South Africa just in the last 3 days. THREE. DAYS. (disaster report)

As I posted about before, Rio +20 happened, ending in what is most certainly the most depressing news I have heard in some time. It is so clear to me that the governments do not care about our futures, or even their own, as long as their pockets are still padded with cash. Nothing of substance, as far as I can tell, came out of Rio. Oil subsidies remain and those leaders who even showed up (Obama, of course, not included) took their jets back home. The youth, as expected, stood up for their future and were ignored. The Huffington Post reports that even though over 45,000 people attended, including delegations from 188 countries, 4000 journalists, and 45,000 religious leaders/organization. The NGOs and environmental groups were, of course, present. Nevertheless,  

"The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (aka Rio+20) is concluded in Rio de Janeiro amidst commentary that ranged from utter despair to very tempered hope."

This is disheartening and, in fact, horrifying. If the best part of the conference was youth walking out because they felt their need weren't being met then I can say honestly that I'm pretty disappointed. Some say it's progress that the meeting even happened. I'm sorry, what? Just because we talk about something, if you haven't noticed, doesn't mean it changes. I suppose in the end, I'm not surprised. Global Warming isn't political and we are realizing through things like Rio +20 and Durban that change won't be coming from these meetings, at least not the changes we need. I would very much like to say that we can keep praying for action from the governments of the world, but this is going to have to be one gigantic grassroots movement. I feel like I'm a mother rolling my eyes and saying "fine, I'll do it myself" except I can't. We all will have to work together because obviously those "representing" us won't work for us.

Lastly, there were a lot of Indigenous groups there. Here is a conversation with one! Please watch, it's so important!

Keep on Montana!

I heard today that the supreme Supreme Cort overturned the law in Montana that regulates corporate spending on campaigns. Below is a video made a few months ago to give a little bit of a back story:

This makes me frustrated because not only is the government not doing what the people want, they are also not allowing us to maintain our pre-existing laws that reflect our values. In 2010 the Citizens United allowed unlimited spending by super PACs in elections. Due to this law Montana's law that keep big money out of the government is considered unconstitutional. So, we aren't sure about who can marry or if global warming is "really the most pressing of issues," yet we immediately know that when money can't buy an election IT'S ILLEGAL!? Really U.S.A.? Really?

Here is a link to the coverage that Democracy Now! did on the issue. What really hits me is that Montana seems to get that this isn't a democrat vs. republican issue, it's a human issue. Keep going Montana, I'm proud to call you my home state!