Weekly Essential Reading

Is it just me this week? When I open the news on COP26, climate change, or infrastructure policy strategies, it seems as if we're going on with business as usual. I mean, we are facing climate crises one after the other and solution is more highways and car infrastructure? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills here but you would think that dealing with climate crises, preventing the worst of it will mean radical changes.

And if you have been paying attention to what's going on at COP26, it seems as if nothing has changed even with all the bellyaching while still taking private and diesel fueled travel. I'm convinced that our leaders are not solution oriented even in a crises, rather they are business oriented. Disaster is big business and privatized solutions to climate change have always been the status quo. Highly recommend reading Naomi Klien's Disaster Capitalism.

In this case, the only thing I can encourage folks to do is to advocate for more funding for public transportation and bike infrastructure in your city. 

With all that said, I highly recommend reading these headlines from this week to catch up on COP26 and more...

Activists are adding up the dire climate costs of US highway expansion: https://qz.com/2081050/us-highway-expansion-has-a-serious-emission-cost/ 

Why Many Police Traffic Stops Turn Deadly: investigation into traffic stops across America and the hundreds of deaths at hands of police: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/31/us/police-traffic-stops-killings.html 

"The same politicians that promised change are either undermining progress or investing even more in police budgets." https://www.teenvogue.com/story/black-lives-matter-protesters-felony-charges 

L.A. sheriff’s deputies use minor stops to search bicyclists, with Latinos hit hardest: https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-county-sheriff-bike-stops-analysis 

Bicycle Activist Groups Tell COP26 That Boosting Cycling Reduces Carbon Emissions: https://www.treehugger.com/bicycle-groups-tell-cop26-boosting-cycling-reduces-carbon-emissions-5208177 

Why aren’t more big bike firms tracking their environmental impact? https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2021/sep/23/why-arent-more-big-bike-firms-tracking-their-environmental-impact 

The Build Back Better Act wants you to buy an electric car. An electric bike? Not so much: https://www.fastcompany.com/90689451/want-to-boost-sales-on-social-media-here-are-four-questions-every-business-should-ask