Scientists Say Plankton More Important Than Previously Thought

VOA News

Published on May 26, 2015

Tiny ocean creatures called plankton are mostly thought of as food for whales and other large marine animals, but a four-year global study discovered, among other things, that plankton are a major source of oxygen on our planet. VOA’s George Putic reports.

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News Wrap: Torrential rain and flooding pummels Texas

PBS NewsHour

Published on May 26, 2015

In our news wrap Tuesday, parts of Houston were under water after torrential downpours overnight. There were more than 500 water rescues and about 2,500 vehicles were abandoned by people seeking higher ground. Elsewhere, 40 people went missing in a vacation area on the Blanco River. Also, a federal appeals court panel maintained a ruling blocking President Obama’s immigration executive action.

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Vermont’s Sanders Kicks Off Presidential Bid

Associated Press

Published on May 26, 2015

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders vowed Tuesday to make income inequality, a campaign finance overhaul and climate change his leading issues as he takes on Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination. (May 26)

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Extreme Weather Kills At Least 17 in TX, OK and Mexico

Extreme weather in Texas, Oklahoma and across the border in Mexico has killed at least 17 people. In the Mexican border city of Ciudad Acuña, 13 people were killed when a tornado wrecked homes and slammed cars against buildings. In Texas and Oklahoma, storms and record-setting floods have killed at least four people while 12 remain missing. Ken Bell, emergency management coordinator for San Marcos, Texas, said the flooding is the worst the region has ever seen.

Ken Bell: “It’s the largest flood in the history of this region. So, it’s significant in its impact. It is different than any flood we’ve ever had.”

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Harvard Faculty for Divestment Heat Week Forum | Jim Anderson, Chloe Maxmin, Bob Massie, Bill McKibben

Harvard Faculty

Published on May 26, 2015

This is Part 1 of
The Open Forum on Fossil Fuel Divestment: Celebrating Accomplishments, Anticipating New Challenges
April 17, 2015
Harvard Hall 104

Featuring:
Bill McKibben ’82
Author, The End of Nature; Founder, 350.org

Robert Massie ’89
Author, Loosing the Bonds: The United States and South Africa in the Apartheid Years; Former President, Ceres

James Anderson
Philip S. Weld Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry

Chloe Maxmin ’15
Founder, Divest Harvard

Moderator: Jane Mansbridge
Adams Professor of Political Leadership and Democratic Values

Introductions by
Shoshana Zuboff
Charles Edward Wilson Professor of Business Administration, Emerita
Harvard Business School

Exploring the social, political and existential dimensions of the fossil fuel divestment movement.

See individual segments:

Introductions:

Jim Anderson

Bob Massie

Chloe Maxmin

Bill McKibben

Q&A

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California Farmers Agree to Voluntary Water Cuts

In California, farmers who hold powerful water rights have avoided mandatory cuts by agreeing to voluntarily limit their water use by 25 percent. The deal applies only to farmers with direct access to rivers or streams. California has already ordered municipalities to cut water use by up to 36 percent amid a historic drought, but agriculture accounts for 80 percent of water use.

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Marches Against Monsanto Held in over 450 Cities Worldwide

Thousands of people around the world took part in Saturday’s third annual march against the agribusiness giant Monsanto. The protests spanned six continents and 48 countries, with more than 450 actions planned. In Mexico City, hundreds protested Monsanto’s pesticides and genetically modified foods.

Diana Hoogesteger: “Most of our food, especially the basic grains, are the nourishment for all human beings, and there really is enough proof that these (genetically modified seeds) do a lot of damage and that the methods they use to grow them poison us with pesticides. These harm the Earth, kill biodiversity, and they are making us sick. So I think it is incredibly important, because it has to do with the people’s health, the health of the planet and the health of the environment that sustains our life.”

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Shell Oil Protester Hangs from Ship for 3 Days; Univ. of Hawaii Divests from Fossil Fuels

The heatwave and floods came as protests against the fossil fuel companies largely responsible for climate change faced protests across the United States. On Sunday in Santa Barbara, California, residents protested a major oil spill which has killed wildlife and soiled beaches. In Bellingham, Washington, two protesters suspended themselves from the anchor chain of a ship to oppose Shell’s plans to drill for oil in the Arctic. Chiara D’Angelo hung from the anchor of the Arctic Challenger from Friday until Monday morning, while fellow protester Matt Fuller joined her for 22 hours on Saturday and Sunday. Meanwhile, the University of Hawaii has voted to divest its $66 million endowment from fossil fuels, becoming the largest university to heed the growing divestment movement to date.

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India: 800 Dead as Temperatures Approach 122 Degrees

In India, at least 800 people have reportedly died in a scorching heatwave, as temperatures climb toward 50 degrees Celsius, or 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The southern state of Andhra Pradesh is the worst hit, with more than 550 deaths in the past week. More than 230 people have died in neighboring Telangana state. In the capital New Delhi, major roads have melted.

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Senate Approves TPP Fast-Track Bill Despite Protests

The Senate has approved a measure to give President Obama fast-track authority to negotiate the secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, then introduce it to Congress with no amendments allowed. Critics, including a number of Democratic lawmakers, oppose the TPP, saying it will fuel inequality, kill jobs, and undermine health, environmental and financial regulations. The fast-track bill will head to the House next month, where it is expected to face a tougher battle.

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