{"id":5059,"date":"2017-12-25T21:59:25","date_gmt":"2017-12-26T02:59:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ecooptimism.com\/?p=5059"},"modified":"2017-12-29T14:57:39","modified_gmt":"2017-12-29T19:57:39","slug":"the-distillery-december-22-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecooptimism.com\/?p=5059","title":{"rendered":"The Distillery: December 22, 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We can all use some positive news these days, especially on the environmental front in which science is considered evil, denial is an alternative fact and the EPA is now what I\u2019m calling the Environmental Destruction Agency. And while I don\u2019t want to gloss over the issues \u2013 there isn\u2019t enough paint in the world to do that \u2013 I offer here The Distillery, a weekly (or thereabouts) selection of posts to help offset the PTSD of our current nightmare.
\nThe posts I pick will be \u201creal\u201d in the sense that they aren\u2019t pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking, as fun as those can be, but are evidence of EcoOptimism.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Our end of the year Distillery is newsworthy updates to some recent \u2013 and not-so-recent – posts.
\nAnd here\u2019s hoping that 2018 will bring us more EcoOptimism. (Because, well, 2017.)<\/p>\n

On intergenerational rights (Original Distillery post date: 12\/5\/17. Original EcoOptimism post date: 4\/1\/13)
\nFrom Grist.org:<\/span>
\nDecember 12, 2017
\n<\/span>
\n\u201cTrump\u2019s lawyers tried (and probably failed) to throw out the kids\u2019 climate lawsuit<\/a>\u201d
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\n<\/a>Image source: Our Children’s Trust\/Facebook via cbcradio<\/p>\n

EcoOptimism’s take: <\/span>Despite first the Obama administration\u2019s efforts and now Trump\u2019s, this groundbreaking lawsuit continues to move forward.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

On a related note, a different approach to environmental rights:
\nFrom Thinkprogress.org:
\n<\/span> December 22, 2017
\n<\/span>
\n\u201cThe radical movement to make environmental protections a constitutional right<\/a>\u201d
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\nAlleghany National Forest.
\nImage credit: Wikimedia Commons, Panoramio\/Diego Gonz\u00e1lez<\/p>\n

EcoOptimism’s take: <\/span>You\u2019d think that the right to a healthy environment for those who are alive NOW, would be a more straightforward concept than the intergenerational version. According to this post, though, it\u2019s currently a constitutional right in only two states, Pennsylvania and Montana. But it\u2019s being used to challenge pro-industry, anti-environment legislation.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

On the economic benefits of addressing climate change (Original EcoOptimism post \u201cSurprise: Environmentalism Actually Boosts the Economy,\u201d date: 1\/19\/2015)
\nFrom the Los Angeles Times<\/span>
\nDecember 12, 2017<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCalifornia’s cap-and-trade climate program could generate more than $8 billion by 2027, report says<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

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Source: Flickr<\/p><\/div>\n

EcoOptimism’s take: <\/span>The premise of EcoOptimism is that good environmental policy is good business, or to steal from the famous line about General Motors, \u201cWhat\u2019s good for the environment is good for the country.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

On the movement by local governments to take the lead in climate action (Original Distillery post date: 11\/17\/17)
\nFrom USA Today<\/span>
\nDecember 5, 2017<\/p>\n

\u201cObama praises mayors as ‘new face’ of leadership on climate change in Trump era <\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

From CityLab<\/span>
\nDecember 5, 2017<\/p>\n

\u201cLab Report: Obama Calls Cities ‘The New Face of Leadership’ on Climate Change<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

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credit: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza<\/p><\/div>\n

EcoOptimism’s take: <\/span>Damn, we miss him
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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