Love the image of the congregation recessing outdoors singing "Go Tell..."!
Re: your first gift...
Elon proved this year in Memphis that standing up a data center using aero-derivative gas turbines can be done in WEEKs with no connection to the grid. He carted in 17 of these behemoths to run Colossus, his new AI training platform which he claims is more powerful than Frontier, the former #1 supercomputer in the world, housed here in Oak Ridge.
Trump’s Second Term: A Blueprint for “Death to America”
••••
Trump’s actions don’t just undermine America—they threaten its survival. His disregard for environmental science, coupled with his obsession with fossil fuels and dismantling protections, sacrifices America’s future for short-term profits. While foreign adversaries chant “Death to America,” Trump’s policies bring it closer to reality, one reckless decision at a time.
Environmental Catastrophe as Policy
Trump’s first term gutted the EPA, rolled back protections for air and water, and withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement. His second term promises even worse: canceling the Inflation Reduction Act, ramping up drilling and fracking, and undermining renewable energy. Cabinet picks like fracking executive Chris Wright for Energy Secretary guarantee this destructive path.
The consequences aren’t hypothetical. Rising seas threaten cities, wildfires devastate states, and droughts disrupt food supplies. Trump’s policies don’t just ignore these crises—they make them worse.
“America First” Becomes “Planet Last”
Trump’s “America First” is better described as “Planet Last.” By sabotaging climate efforts and isolating the U.S. from global cooperation, he ensures America leads the charge toward environmental collapse. His misinformation campaign—baseless claims about wind turbines killing whales or solar power’s unreliability—delays progress on clean energy solutions.
”Death to America” Is a Choice
Trump’s environmental nihilism isn’t accidental—it’s deliberate. By prioritizing fossil fuel profits over sustainability, he accelerates America’s decline, creating a future of unbreathable air, undrinkable water, and unlivable conditions.
As his second term looms, Trump’s agenda makes the phrase “Death to America” more than hyperbole—it’s the reality of his policies. If his first term was the prelude to collapse, his second will deliver the crescendo. America can’t afford another four years of his reckless indifference.
HEADLINE: Montana Supreme Court affirms decision in Held, historic youth climate case
Limit on analysis of greenhouse gas emissions unconstitutional, court says in 6-1 opinion
BY: MICAH DREW AND BLAIR MILLER - DECEMBER 18, 2024 5:46 PM
“The Montana Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a district court ruling in the nation’s first constitutional climate change trial , affirming that the youth plaintiffs have a “fundamental constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment” while revoking two Montana statutes.
“The 70-page decision, authored by Chief Justice Mike McGrath, comes 16 months after Lewis and Clark District Court Judge Kathy Seeley ruled in the landmark Held v. Montana lawsuit, explicitly stating that the state’s greenhouse gas emissions are “proven to be a substantial factor in causing climate impacts to Montana’s environment, and harm and injury to the youth plaintiffs.” Seeley’s decision also rolled back two laws enacted by the 2023 legislature that changed the Montana Environmental Policy Act.
The state immediately appealed the decision to the Montana Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments in the appeal in July. The court found in a 6-to-1 decision that Montana’s constitutional guarantee of a “clean and healthful environment” includes a stable climate system, “which is clearly within the object and true principles of the Framers inclusion of the right.”
“Plaintiffs showed at trial—without dispute—that climate change is harming Montana’s environmental life support system now and with increasing severity for the foreseeable future,” the order states. “Plaintiffs showed that climate change does impact the clear, unpolluted air of the Bob Marshall wilderness; it does impact the availability of clear water and clear air in the Bull Mountains; and it does exacerbate the wildfire stench in Missoula, along with the rest of the State.”
“The six-justice majority found the law which limited analysis of greenhouse gas emissions during environmental reviews violates the Montana Constitution’s “right to a clean and healthful environment,” and enjoined the state from acting on it.
Justice Jim Rice dissented.
“The lawsuit, the first of its kind to reach trial, was filed by 16 youth plaintiffs from across Montana who alleged the state violated their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment by promoting the fossil fuel industry and exacerbating the effects of climate change.
“This ruling is a victory not just for us, but for every young person whose future is threatened by climate change. We have been heard, and today the Montana Supreme Court has affirmed that our rights to a safe and healthy climate cannot be ignored,” lead plaintiff Rikki Held said in a statement.
“Our Children’s Trust and the Western Environmental Law Center, which represented the youth plaintiffs in the case, said in a news release they hoped the ruling would be fully implemented, and if that does not happen, they would be prepared to take further legal action to ensure the state is complying.
“This ruling clarifies that the Constitution sets a clear directive for Montana to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, which are among the highest in the nation on a per capita basis, and to transition to a clean, renewable energy future,” Western Environmental Law Center attorney Melissa Hornbein said in a statement.
“Montana’s Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte said in a statement the state is reviewing the decision but that he believes it will lead to “perpetual lawsuits” that will “waste taxpayer dollars and drive up energy bills” for Montanans. He also accused the court, which interprets whether laws made by the Legislature are constitutional when they are challenged, of making policy outside of its purview.
“This Court continues to step outside of its lane to tread on the right of the Legislature, the elected representatives of the people, to make policy,” Gianforte said. “This decision does nothing more than declare open season on Montana’s all-of-the-above-approach to energy, which is key to providing affordable and reliable energy to homes, schools, and businesses across our state.”
Apologies. I almost never comment on articles, which I guess is a good thing. Zeke let me know that I should have read your piece as saying all the companies were OK, not that Stripe was not and, by association, Zeke was not. In the end, I'm just really glad to know that two of the most oft-quoted and articulate voices on climate change strongly support each other at this beyond critical juncture.
"Last week, Exxon announced that it is building a large gas plant that will directly supply power to data centers within the next five years. The company claims the gas plant will use technology that captures polluting emissions—despite the fact that the technology has never been used at a commercial scale before."
But CO2 emissions from burning gas are a secondary issue - the main problem is methane emissions before the gas gets to the end user - from fracking blowback to pipeline leaks. Methane, as Prof. Howarth has shown, and the IPCC has affirmed, has over 80x the global heating impact as CO2 over 20 years, the relevant time frame.
“As Donald Trump prepares to retake the presidency, a critical question looms: Are we entrusting the country to a man whose erratic behavior is fueled not just by ego but by an alarming combination of dangerous drugs?”
••••
Trump’s Drug Use: A Chemically Compromised Commander-in-Chief
How His Reckless Substance Abuse Fuels Paranoia, Impulsivity, and Threatens National Stability
To you and your family Bill. Would you check out the new ruling in France for solar panels on parking lots? It’s an idea I’ve been talking up for years. Shade for your car while shopping too !!
Gift #4: Elon and Donald just shot the GOP in the foot … and if we’re lucky, they will bleed out.
Happy holidays, Bill and family ♥️🤍💙
Thank you for all you do! It's a better world because you're in it. You give many good people hope and inspiration 💚🌏🌳
Bill, Intersect Power, a developer of renewable energy projects, just formed a strategic partnership with Google to co-locate data centers and clean power generation. See: https://www.intersectpower.com/intersect-power-forms-strategic-partnership-with-google-and-tpg-rise-climate-to-co-locate-data-center-load-and-clean-power-generation/
Thank you!
Thanks Bill, I'll take even small wins today. Good wishes for your Christmas Eve ceremony.
Thanks for the gifties, Bill--much needed! And thank you for being you. We're not giving up.
Let me second that sentiment. THANKS FOR YOU,
BILL!
Love the image of the congregation recessing outdoors singing "Go Tell..."!
Re: your first gift...
Elon proved this year in Memphis that standing up a data center using aero-derivative gas turbines can be done in WEEKs with no connection to the grid. He carted in 17 of these behemoths to run Colossus, his new AI training platform which he claims is more powerful than Frontier, the former #1 supercomputer in the world, housed here in Oak Ridge.
https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/elon-musks-massive-ai-data-center-gets-unlocked-xai-gets-approved-for-150mw-of-power-enabling-all-100-000-gpus-to-run-concurrently
https://www.environmentenergyleader.com/stories/as-musks-memphis-supercomputer-launches-concerns-raised-over-xais-gas-turbines-and-air-permit,48419
Needless to say, this is deeply upsetting to many Memphians already suffering from poor air quality.
Oops. That last comment was from me, not from Third Act Faith.
thank you as always for the research and outreach that you do to make these gifts of hope possible. We are with you!
Thank you for all you do! My heart is always happy to read your newsletter. Happy holidays to you and your loved ones ♥️✨🙏🏻
Trump’s Second Term: A Blueprint for “Death to America”
••••
Trump’s actions don’t just undermine America—they threaten its survival. His disregard for environmental science, coupled with his obsession with fossil fuels and dismantling protections, sacrifices America’s future for short-term profits. While foreign adversaries chant “Death to America,” Trump’s policies bring it closer to reality, one reckless decision at a time.
Environmental Catastrophe as Policy
Trump’s first term gutted the EPA, rolled back protections for air and water, and withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement. His second term promises even worse: canceling the Inflation Reduction Act, ramping up drilling and fracking, and undermining renewable energy. Cabinet picks like fracking executive Chris Wright for Energy Secretary guarantee this destructive path.
The consequences aren’t hypothetical. Rising seas threaten cities, wildfires devastate states, and droughts disrupt food supplies. Trump’s policies don’t just ignore these crises—they make them worse.
“America First” Becomes “Planet Last”
Trump’s “America First” is better described as “Planet Last.” By sabotaging climate efforts and isolating the U.S. from global cooperation, he ensures America leads the charge toward environmental collapse. His misinformation campaign—baseless claims about wind turbines killing whales or solar power’s unreliability—delays progress on clean energy solutions.
”Death to America” Is a Choice
Trump’s environmental nihilism isn’t accidental—it’s deliberate. By prioritizing fossil fuel profits over sustainability, he accelerates America’s decline, creating a future of unbreathable air, undrinkable water, and unlivable conditions.
As his second term looms, Trump’s agenda makes the phrase “Death to America” more than hyperbole—it’s the reality of his policies. If his first term was the prelude to collapse, his second will deliver the crescendo. America can’t afford another four years of his reckless indifference.
••••
https://substack.com/@patricemersault
Gift #5 slid past us a day before your post:
Our Children's Trust won one in Montana ♥️
HEADLINE: Montana Supreme Court affirms decision in Held, historic youth climate case
Limit on analysis of greenhouse gas emissions unconstitutional, court says in 6-1 opinion
BY: MICAH DREW AND BLAIR MILLER - DECEMBER 18, 2024 5:46 PM
“The Montana Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a district court ruling in the nation’s first constitutional climate change trial , affirming that the youth plaintiffs have a “fundamental constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment” while revoking two Montana statutes.
“The 70-page decision, authored by Chief Justice Mike McGrath, comes 16 months after Lewis and Clark District Court Judge Kathy Seeley ruled in the landmark Held v. Montana lawsuit, explicitly stating that the state’s greenhouse gas emissions are “proven to be a substantial factor in causing climate impacts to Montana’s environment, and harm and injury to the youth plaintiffs.” Seeley’s decision also rolled back two laws enacted by the 2023 legislature that changed the Montana Environmental Policy Act.
The state immediately appealed the decision to the Montana Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments in the appeal in July. The court found in a 6-to-1 decision that Montana’s constitutional guarantee of a “clean and healthful environment” includes a stable climate system, “which is clearly within the object and true principles of the Framers inclusion of the right.”
“Plaintiffs showed at trial—without dispute—that climate change is harming Montana’s environmental life support system now and with increasing severity for the foreseeable future,” the order states. “Plaintiffs showed that climate change does impact the clear, unpolluted air of the Bob Marshall wilderness; it does impact the availability of clear water and clear air in the Bull Mountains; and it does exacerbate the wildfire stench in Missoula, along with the rest of the State.”
“The six-justice majority found the law which limited analysis of greenhouse gas emissions during environmental reviews violates the Montana Constitution’s “right to a clean and healthful environment,” and enjoined the state from acting on it.
Justice Jim Rice dissented.
“The lawsuit, the first of its kind to reach trial, was filed by 16 youth plaintiffs from across Montana who alleged the state violated their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment by promoting the fossil fuel industry and exacerbating the effects of climate change.
“This ruling is a victory not just for us, but for every young person whose future is threatened by climate change. We have been heard, and today the Montana Supreme Court has affirmed that our rights to a safe and healthy climate cannot be ignored,” lead plaintiff Rikki Held said in a statement.
“Our Children’s Trust and the Western Environmental Law Center, which represented the youth plaintiffs in the case, said in a news release they hoped the ruling would be fully implemented, and if that does not happen, they would be prepared to take further legal action to ensure the state is complying.
“This ruling clarifies that the Constitution sets a clear directive for Montana to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, which are among the highest in the nation on a per capita basis, and to transition to a clean, renewable energy future,” Western Environmental Law Center attorney Melissa Hornbein said in a statement.
“Montana’s Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte said in a statement the state is reviewing the decision but that he believes it will lead to “perpetual lawsuits” that will “waste taxpayer dollars and drive up energy bills” for Montanans. He also accused the court, which interprets whether laws made by the Legislature are constitutional when they are challenged, of making policy outside of its purview.
“This Court continues to step outside of its lane to tread on the right of the Legislature, the elected representatives of the people, to make policy,” Gianforte said. “This decision does nothing more than declare open season on Montana’s all-of-the-above-approach to energy, which is key to providing affordable and reliable energy to homes, schools, and businesses across our state.”
======= BUT WAIT! THERES MORE =======
🤔🤔🤔🙃🙃🙃🙃😢😢😢😭😭😭😩😩😩
~~~~~~~~~~Not so good news~~~~~~~~~~~
https://dailymontanan.com/2024/12/18/montana-supreme-court-affirms-decision-in-held-historic-youth-climate-case !
Apologies. I almost never comment on articles, which I guess is a good thing. Zeke let me know that I should have read your piece as saying all the companies were OK, not that Stripe was not and, by association, Zeke was not. In the end, I'm just really glad to know that two of the most oft-quoted and articulate voices on climate change strongly support each other at this beyond critical juncture.
Indeed. I learn stuff from him constantly!
https://oilfieldwitness.org
"Last week, Exxon announced that it is building a large gas plant that will directly supply power to data centers within the next five years. The company claims the gas plant will use technology that captures polluting emissions—despite the fact that the technology has never been used at a commercial scale before."
But CO2 emissions from burning gas are a secondary issue - the main problem is methane emissions before the gas gets to the end user - from fracking blowback to pipeline leaks. Methane, as Prof. Howarth has shown, and the IPCC has affirmed, has over 80x the global heating impact as CO2 over 20 years, the relevant time frame.
“As Donald Trump prepares to retake the presidency, a critical question looms: Are we entrusting the country to a man whose erratic behavior is fueled not just by ego but by an alarming combination of dangerous drugs?”
••••
Trump’s Drug Use: A Chemically Compromised Commander-in-Chief
How His Reckless Substance Abuse Fuels Paranoia, Impulsivity, and Threatens National Stability
https://patricemersault.substack.com/p/trumps-drug-use-a-chemically-compromised
To you and your family Bill. Would you check out the new ruling in France for solar panels on parking lots? It’s an idea I’ve been talking up for years. Shade for your car while shopping too !!
Happy Holiday’s to