Facts on existential crises, transition studies, etc.

This thread tackles 21st century issues and questions on nuclear weapons, climate change, and any other planet-wide issues challenging the survival of Homo sapiens, our species. A recent lecture (May 2018) at St. Olaf College's center for transition studies by the university professor and author Noam Chomsky includes many references:

https://environmentaljusticetv.wordpress.com/2018/05/23/noam-chomsky-at-st-olaf-...

His address begins at the 10.00 time stamp.

Update (October 22, 2018) on climate change from Elizabeth Kolbert, a staff writer for The New Yorker magazine. Link:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/10/22/what-is-donald-trumps-response-to-...

Also, be aware that in December 2018, leaders will gather in Poland for COP24, known more formally as the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. That conference will be "a significant next step to see what governments actually say in the context of the climate negotiations about this report."

Edit Monday Oct. 22, 2018: The United Nations webTV will broadcast the COP24 conference live online: http://webtv.un.org/

Monday, November 5, 2018: As Noam Chomsky points out in his broadcast TV interview today on the DemocracyNow! US TV show, US President Trump is a believer in global warming. His real estate group in the Republic of Ireland is now seeking permission to build a wall to protect his Irish golf course against sea level rise:

https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/trump-golf-course-wall-battle-continues-46...

Here is that 2-part interview of Noam Chomsky on the DemocracyNow! TV show. The full transcript will also be provided, starting later today:

https://www.democracynow.org/2018/11/5/noam_chomsky_on_midterms_republican_party

Wow, Trump is trying to build walls everywhere!

Reminder to all: This LT user group discourages political comments ... there are already many other LT groups for political expression.

The following new title on global climate disruption in the 21st century is discussed on February 20, 2019 online at the DemocracyNow website. Free video and full free transcript versions of that talk are online:

https://www.democracynow.org/2019/2/21/the_uninhabitable_earth_unflinching_new_b...

Title: The Uninhabitable earth: Life after Warming.

"This LT user group discourages political comments "

Who made that determination?

How the heck could we even discuss the topic of this group with no political comments at all?

Having served as the major volunteer coordinator of this LT group in recent years, I suggest that its main purpose has been for anyone to provide referenced information resources here, potential solutions, and a forum where all participants can ask questions about specific issues in sustainability. In all the social media groups I have participated in in recent decades, there are always drastic programming limits imposed on format options for any discussions, for necessary site management reasons.

With that history in mind, despite the fact that there are already numerous LT groups for wide-ranging political discussions, Rastaphrog may still feel it is appropriate to start a Politics thread in this Sustainability group. If so, go for it.

I would suggest that the rest of the world views these sustainability subjects through many lenses; with politics being only one facet, but an important one. Lets try not to limit the conversation here.

For rastaphrog and everyone, I created a new thread recently in our group. Its title is The Politics Of Sustainability.

Looks like the Post Carbon Institute is starting a new podcast.
https://www.postcarbon.org/crazytown/

Probably worth subscribing.

Happy New Year 2020, and a new decade as well. Does anyone know why the 1920s were called "The Roaring 20s"? The 1920s were the first decade worldwide that combustion car and truck engines were manufactured on a large scale (assembly lines in factories) and then used on a large scale in cities and towns. Previous ground transportation by rail and horse was relatively quiet. But combustion engines always created a wall of sound ... hence the literally 'roaring' street noise levels from then on. 100 years later, much quieter hybrid and virtually silent electric vehicles may become the default transportation.

Here is an interview with the London economist and academic who is the author of the increasingly popular book Doughnut Economics:

https://newint.org/features/2019/12/30/interview-kate-raworth

Later this month (May 2020), Washington Post reporter Barton Gellman's new book will be published: Dark Mirror: Edward Snowden and the American Surveillance State. It is the first book in print to closely examine the effects of constant surveillance by the US intelligence community on civilization and culture in the United States. The surveillance revelations of US whistleblower Edward Snowden, starting in 2013, are the focus of the book.