A Small Change in Airplane Altitude Could Reduce Climate Impact of Contrails by 59%
Pipeline Protests Halt Canadian Train Service ; These Jellyfish Don't Need Tentacles to Deliver a Toxic Sting ; and More Picks
2.5 Million Pounds of Radioactive Waste Illegally Dumped in Oregon Landfill (DonkeyHotey)
From Oregon Public Broadcasting: “The Oregon Department of Energy has issued a notice of violation to a hazardous waste facility for accepting more than 2 million pounds of radioactive materials east of the Columbia River Gorge. Chemical Waste Management, a subsidiary of Waste Management Inc., was illegally dumping radioactive materials it received from a North Dakota company, Goodnight Midstream, at its waste landfill near Arlington, Oregon.”
Canadian Pipeline Protests Shut Down Train Service Across the Country (Chris)
The author writes, “Large portions of Canada’s train service have shut down — including a vital cross-continental rail line — after indigenous land defenders blockaded several major railways in countrywide anti-pipeline protests. … Indigenous rights and climate justice advocates have been fighting to halt construction on the $5 billion Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline by blockading trains, ports, and other transit. The initial protest traces back to British Columbia, where construction for the 416-mile pipeline cuts through the traditional territory of the Wet’suwet’en Nation. For more than a year, their ranks have fiercely pushed back against the construction process by blocking roads where the project is underway.”
GM Plans to Pull Out of Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand (Reader Steve)
From the Mercury News: “General Motors decision to pull out of Australia, New Zealand and Thailand as part of a strategy to exit markets that don’t produce adequate returns on investments raised dismay Monday from officials concerned over job losses. The company said in a statement Sunday that plans to wind down sales, engineering and design operations for its historic Holden brand in Australia and New Zealand in 2021. It also plans to sell its Rayong factory in Thailand to China’s Great Wall Motors and withdraw the Chevrolet brand from Thailand by the end of this year.”
Klobuchar Has Pushed Extreme Right-Wing Policy on Israel/Palestine (Russ)
The author writes, “[Amy] Klobuchar has long pushed for moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and has promised not to reverse Trump’s controversial decision to do so. Meanwhile, rejecting detailed reports from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other reputable international organizations, as well as Israeli human rights groups like B’Tselem and Breaking the Silence, she insists that Israel meets international standards for human rights. Indeed, she has referred to Israel as ‘our beacon of democracy in the Mideast.’ One of her goals as president, she said, would be ‘to bring in American support again in a big way for Israel.’”
These Jellyfish Don’t Need Tentacles to Deliver a Toxic Sting (Mili)
The author writes, “Smithsonian scientists discovered that tiny ‘mucus grenades’ are responsible for a mysterious phenomenon known as ‘stinging water.’”
