Texas becomes one of the hottest places on Earth during brutal heatwave
Everything is bigger in Texas, and for three straight weeks, this has also included the record high temperatures set by an extreme heat wave blazing through the state, NBC reported. While CNN divulged that the rest of the world recently set a global record for the hottest day in history —July 4 temperatures capped at an unprecedented 17.8 Celsius (64.04 Fahrenheit) global average — Texas had become one of the hottest places on Earth by late June, NBC described. According to NBC, state temperatures “hit or surpassed 110 degrees Fahrenheit,” and triple-digit heat gripped numerous major cities in the state, such as San Angelo and Del Rio. This kind of weather is standard for parts of the world like northern Africa and the Middle East, but for Texas, its presence was rattling, NBC reported.
Cloudy with a chance of smoke: what air quality scares have taught us about climate justice
On Wednesday, June 7, New York City recorded the worst air quality in the world, CNBC reported. According to the Guardian, at a reported 195 micrograms per cubic meter made up of small particulate matter, the sky had turned from a “milky white” to a harsh orange color. The number of particles far exceeded normal levels based on the city’s national air quality standard, which is typically around 12 to 35 micrograms of small particulate matter, as stated by New York City’s Environmental and Health Data Portal.
Frustrations abound throughout Bonn climate change conference
When representatives walked out of the U.N.’s Bonn Climate Change Conference on Thursday, June 15, they left a sense of ambiguity hanging in the air. With roughly 200 countries represented, the Germany conference has been met with largely lukewarm reactions, as experts in the field have criticized the lack of clarity on major action items, Reuters reported.
Coastal flooding and hurricanes in the South affect the lives of everyday people
Philadelphia’s chemical spill reveals water infrastructure weaknesses
Republican pushback stalls ESG initiatives
State-level members of the Republican Party have recently accelerated their pushback against Environmental Social Governance considerations in public and retirement pensions, ubiquitously dubbing them “woke” investments, NBC reported. According to NBC, President Joe Biden’s first veto on March 23, which the House failed to override, blocked a bipartisan bill that would have nullified Labor Department rules permitting retirement plans to consider ESG factors.
Leah Penniman speaks about new book at the Odyssey Bookshop
On March 22, the Odyssey was packed with people sitting and chatting in rows of chairs where one would usually find racks of MHC apparel. The group was brought together by an event featuring Leah Penniman, a “Black Kreyol farmer, mother, soil nerd, author and food justice activist from Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, NY,” according to their bio on the Soul Fire Farm website.