News Feeds

We hear it all the time: “Americans just love their cars.” But the recent opening of a subway line in Los Angeles proves that Americans are even more crazy for transit — and when new stations open, they turn it into a party.

Check out this dispatch from Los Angeles by Hideaki Transit, where the opening of the new Metro D Line extension turned into nothing short of Woodstock for NUMTOTs. Complete with off-color puns, viral merch, spontaneous group chants, and even a pop-up furry convention, this raucous celebration of shared transportation should inspire leaders across the country to build party-worthy transit projects everywhere. (And yes, we promise: it’s safe for work.)

• The author of the book “Sidewalk Nation” reports that many cities do a terrible job of maintaining sidewalks, but some are improving. Siloed departments’ areas of oversight overlap, property owners are put in charge of repairs, and municipal budgets are tight. Michael Pollack advocates for cities to create departments of sidewalk and institute funding mechanisms like sidewalk improvement fees. (Governing)
• Rep. Rick Larsen, the ranking Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said a bipartisan consensus is emerging around a multi-year funding bill involving safety improvements and freight connectivity. (Transport Topics)
• Amtrak unveiled the new Freedom250 next-gen Acela train (Railway Age) and, separately, a new train wrap celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence (Axios).
• Short-hop flights of less than 250 miles are on the decline. (NPR)
• A federal bill encouraging transit-oriented development would bolster transit agencies’ bottom line by adding more riders. (Transportation for America)
• On the Seams goes inside Amazon’s vast distribution and delivery network.
• “Just one more lane, bro,” transportation engineering textbooks still say. “Just one more lane, and I promise, no more traffic.” (State Smart Transportation Initiative)
• San Antonio found a way around Texas’ ban on rainbow crosswalks by painting sidewalks instead. (New York Times)
• A Minnesota bill would consolidate Twin Cities transit agencies. (streets.mn)
• Empty Waymos are circling aimlessly around Atlanta cul-de-sacs. (WSB-TV)
• Saratoga is taking public input on a Complete Streets makeover for Main Street. (Saratoga Magazine)
• The fast-growing Arkansas village Cave Springs is also redesigning its Main Street to make it more pedestrian-friendly. (CNU Public Square)
• A think tank is urging the British government to lower speed limits to avoid an “energy shock” due to the Iran war. (The Guardian)
• Fox News reporters are probably so used to being able to park illegally with impunity that they were shocked when an automated camera ticketed them within two minutes in Beijing — ironically, while they were there to do a negative story about Chinese surveillance. (X)

hambachforest.org – Tangandewa is more than just a game; it’s an adventure that combines strategy, skill, and a touch of luck. As players dive into this captivating world, they often find themselves swept away by the thrill of the competition. However, before you jump in headfirst, taking a moment to conduct some research can make all the difference in your gaming experience. Understanding what Tangandewa has to offer not only enhances your enjoyment but also boosts your chances of success. Let’s explore why doing your homework before playing Tangandewa is essential for both new and seasoned players alike!

Benefits of Conducting Research Before Playing Tangandewa

Researching before you play Tangandewa opens up a world of opportunities. It allows players to familiarize themselves with the game’s mechanics, which can significantly enhance gameplay.

Understanding various strategies is another perk. Knowing different approaches gives you an edge over opponents who might dive in without preparation. You’ll be more equipped to adapt and make smarter decisions during intense moments.

Additionally, research helps identify reliable platforms for playing Tangandewa. With so many options available, finding trustworthy sites ensures a fair gaming experience.

Gathering insights from experienced players provides invaluable tips that can elevate your skills. Learning from others’ successes and mistakes is a shortcut to mastering this exciting game!

Understanding the Rules and Strategies of the Game Tangandewa

Tangandewa is a captivating game that demands familiarity with its rules for an enjoyable experience. Players must grasp the core mechanics, as these lay the groundwork for effective gameplay.

Understanding how to navigate turns and make strategic moves can significantly elevate your chances of winning. The dynamics change based on the number of players involved, so it’s essential to adapt your strategy accordingly.

Moreover, mastering specific strategies can set you apart from others. Whether it’s bluffing or forming alliances, knowing when to act is crucial in gaining an advantage.

Pay attention to opponents’ moves; reading their intentions often reveals potential openings for attack or defense. With practice and keen observation, you’ll find yourself becoming more adept at maneuvering through challenges presented by Tangandewa.

Why Research is Essential for Success in Tangandewa Sites

Success in tangandewa sites hinges on the depth of your research. When players invest time to understand various aspects of the game, they position themselves ahead of their competitors.

Knowledge about different strategies can be a game-changer. Players who familiarize themselves with tactics and gameplay nuances often find it easier to adapt during intense moments. This adaptability not only enhances decision-making but also increases winning potential.

Moreover, researching Tangandewa helps identify reputable platforms for play. Not all websites provide the same quality or security features, so understanding which ones are reliable makes a significant difference in your gaming experience.

Being informed allows you to engage with fellow players more effectively. Sharing insights and discussing strategies fosters a sense of community that enriches everyone’s experience within the Tangandewa universe.

By dedicating time to research before diving into gameplay, you’re setting yourself up for success and creating an enjoyable journey through this exciting world.

The post The Importance of Doing Research Before Playing Tangandewa appeared first on HAMBACHFOREST.

Probably the most surprising news this spring was that some staff members scared up an American Woodcock with three youngsters. This is the first documentation that this species successfully breeds...

Like The Price Of Gas? Trump Did That!

There may still be ice in the rivers and snow on the ground, but spring is in the air—and that means migrating shorebirds are, too. Millions of feathered travelers cross whole hemispheres in their...

It’s the 78th anniversary the Nakba. The Nakba, meaning “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the mass displacement, dispossession, and ethnic cleansing of roughly 750,000 Palestinian Arabs during the 1948 Arab-Israeli…

Thursday, May 14, 2026
Press Contact: Sumeet Bal, Director of Communications, 917-647-1952, sbal@publicadvocates.org

California Can’t Lead the World While Leaving Workers Behind

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—California enters this May Revision in a moment of unexpected abundance—and familiar avoidance. 

Tax revenues are more than $16 billion above forecast. The state’s cash position has hit record highs. California dominates the global technology economy, leading the world in IPOs, artificial intelligence, Fortune 500 companies and innovation. But California cannot claim to lead the world while its teachers, nurses and essential workers are being priced out of the communities they sustain. Dominating in technology while losing ground on economic security for working families is not a strong legacy—it is a contradiction that demands solutions. The question this May Revision must answer is not whether California can dominate. It already does. The question is who that dominance works for.

California already knows how to build the things families need—the governor’s commitment to increasing per-pupil funding, investing in our educators, and expanding community schools proves that. When the state chooses to invest directly, boldly and consistently, it changes lives. Community schools are doing that now, in the communities that need it most. 

Housing and transit deserve the same commitment—not threats, not red tape reduction alone, but direct state investment that meets the scale of the crisis. Without substantial and sustained funding for affordable housing, low-income Californians will continue to struggle, regardless of how much development streamlining or local government oversight the state pursues. Meanwhile, the state’s basic protections against rent gouging and arbitrary evictions, the Tenant Protection Act, will expire in 2030 unless a governor with the courage to fight for and strengthen it steps forward. At the same time, without an infusion of state money, our public transit network is in danger of collapse. 

Abundance is not the same as security—AND it is not the same as justice. The working families at the center of our state’s story are experiencing a cost of living crisis that no IPO can solve—and they are waiting to see whether California’s record revenues will reach them, or pass them by once again. The question is made more urgent by federal cuts stripping millions of Californians of healthcare, food assistance, and housing support, and a proposed restructuring of Cap-and-Invest revenues that could cut affordable housing, transit, and clean air programs in half—redirecting dollars from low-wealth communities to fossil fuel companies. Seven years ago, the governor promised to fix the state’s boom-and-bust tax system. The boom is here. The question is whether he will use it for the Californians who built this state—and can no longer afford to live in it.

Education: A Legacy Built, A Problem Unaddressed

“Governor Newsom’s historic community schools investments will cement one of his enduring legacies, just as LCFF defined Jerry Brown’s,” said John Affeldt, Managing Attorney for Education Equity. “The research is showing that California’s community schools have cut chronic absenteeism by 30% compared to similar schools, reduced suspensions by 15% overall and delivered learning gains in English equivalent to 151 extra days of instruction for Black students.”

“But the governor’s May Revise failed to address one of the key equity challenges remaining for him—the state’s unconstitutional discrimination against low-wealth school districts in modernizing facilities. The State’s program for renovating dilapidated schools substantially favors high-wealth communities who are able to raise much more in matching funds, leaving students in poor districts in overheated portables and leaky classrooms amidst black mold and unremediated asbestos. The governor has acknowledged ‘you can’t look in the eyes of these kids,” but today, he chose to look away—and to keep fighting them in court,” added Affeldt, a lead counsel in a Public Advocates’ lawsuit suing the State over the issue.

“As far as moving forward into the future, our state cannot continue to rely on temporary AI stock market bubbles. To his credit, the governor proposed some modest new taxes, but to build a budget that will enable our residents to thrive, California needs more robust permanent revenue streams to support our schools and healthy communities. We cannot ask teachers to transform students’ lives while those same teachers are being priced out of the communities they serve.”

Higher Education: Affordability Crisis Threatens College Access & Completion?

“California’s economy is growing because generations of students had a path to affordable higher education. But too many low-income students are still being left behind as the cost of education and living continue to rise. If we want a future powered by innovation, we need to make sure opportunity isn’t reserved for those who could afford college anyway. We call on the governor and the legislature to strengthen and expand Cal Grant to keep the door to economic mobility open for the students coming after us—and ensures California’s future includes everyone,” said Sbeydeh Viveros-Walton, Director of Higher Education.

“For low-income Black and Latinx students, affordability is the difference between access, completion and attrition,” said Jetaun Stevens, Deputy Director of Higher Education Equity & Senior Staff Attorney. “Housing is the largest cost students face when pursuing higher education, and California’s housing crisis makes higher education out of reach for many low-income students. With 60% of community college students facing housing insecurity and nearly a quarter of community college students facing homelessness, we need greater investment in housing. We call on the governor and legislature to invest in additional projects through the Higher Education Housing Grant program—including reinvesting funds from withdrawn projects—and open up access to part-time community college students. We encourage the governor and legislature to make greater investments in affordable housing and homelessness prevention to improve economic opportunity for all low-income Californians, including supporting the Senate’s proposal to invest $1 billion in Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program 7 (HHAP) and an additional $1 billion for HHAP 8.”   

Housing Relief Deferred, Renters Left Behind

We welcome the inclusion of $500 million in HHAP 7 funds—California’s primary homelessness assistance program—in the governor’s proposal, but we are concerned about new requirements to receive that funding. Requiring a local funding match will shut out many jurisdictions. Requiring a Prohousing Designation is even more limiting: only 47 jurisdictions would currently qualify. Further, a Prohousing Designation is substantially based on how friendly a jurisdiction’s development environment is for market-rate developers—a standard which should not impede aid to people experiencing homelessness. Consistent, predictable funding is what moves people from the streets to stability. The Senate’s “Foundation for the Future” budget priorities letter reflects this, committing $1 billion for HHAP 7 and $1 billion more for a subsequent 8th round of funding. The governor should match that commitment—without the barriers.

Governor Newsom’s proposal also fails to address what his administration’s proposed changes to Cap-and-Invest would do to the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities grant program (AHSC), the largest source of affordable housing funding in the state. When asked directly, the governor said it wouldn’t be addressed in his proposal. That is not an answer. Redirecting Cap-and-Invest money away from affordable housing and transit to fossil fuel companies and other polluters is a choice—and it demands a response.  Now is the time, however, for Governor Newsom to propose funding to backfill the affordable housing and transit funding that will be lost if his proposal to redirect AHSC money to polluters moves forward.

The human cost of inaction is not abstract.  More than half of California’s 6.1 million renter households spend more than 30% of their income on rent. Nearly a third spend more than half. Evictions have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels. “Housing is the largest item in a family’s budget and the governor’s housing proposals in his final budget do not address the problem or deliver the help renters desperately need,” said Michelle Pariset, Director of Legislative Affairs. “Governor Newsom will leave office without securing his legacy on rent stabilization and just cause for eviction, as the state’s basic protections against rent gouging and arbitrary evictions are set to expire in 2030. He could have worked with the legislature to remove this sunset on the Tenant Protection Act—permanently shielding renters from gouging and no fault evictions. Instead, renters will face that fight with a new governor and a legislature freshly-drenched in real estate industry campaign spending.”

Transit: When Transit Fails, Working Families Pay

The future of public transit in California hangs in the balance at the same time the rising costs of transportation is hurting low-income families. Citizens in multiple regions are collecting signatures for ballot initiatives to maintain critical service, but the state must do its part. “The governor’s proposed CARB regulations for the Cap-and-Invest program would eliminate over $600 million a year in critical state transit funding—funding for service, lower fares for seniors and students, electric buses, and infrastructure upgrades. These are cuts that the Californians who depend on transit cannot afford,” said Laurel Paget-Seekins, Senior Transportation Policy Advocate. “This governor’s proposal would leave a massive multi-year budget hole for transit and affordable housing at a time when Californians need additional investment to address rising costs of housing and transportation.” 

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Public Advocates Inc. is a nonprofit law firm and advocacy organization that challenges the systemic causes of poverty and racial discrimination by strengthening community voices in public policy and achieving tangible legal victories advancing education, housing, transportation equity, and climate justice.

The post Press Statement: California Can’t Lead the World While Leaving Workers Behind appeared first on Public Advocates.

Climber Alex Honnold is best-known for his daring feats, recently scaling Taiwan’s Taipei 101 tower live on Netflix, but he’s more typically climbing some of the world’s most challenging natural landscapes. But he’s also an advocate for renewable energy, and the foundation he started, the Honnold Foundation, supports community-led solar energy growth around the world.

How do those two interests fit together? For Honnold, the connection seems clear. “Go on enough trips like this,” he said, referencing his climbing trips to remote locations, and “you just see how much it matters.”

“A lot of these projects basically help protect the land in a way that you wouldn’t necessarily assume,” he said. “Empowering local communities is always a good way to protect the land on which they live.”

Honnold was interviewed by Grist Editor-in-Chief Katherine Bagley at Grist’s live event Turning the Tide: Stories of Climate Solutions, held during San Francisco Climate Week.

In his own climbing experience, Honnold shared, he’s seen how landscapes have changed even in the span of just a few years due to rising temperatures. “A lot of things that used to be approaches or descents up snowy couloirs … those are mostly melted out,” Honnold said. “Basically, big mountains you see change very quickly right now. It’s pretty sobering.”

But he also emphasized the need for positive stories that help people understand that progress is happening. “I personally am just not inspired by pessimism at all,” he said. “The environment has been severely degraded, we’ve lost a lot for sure, but if you were just dropped onto this planet right here, right now, and you just looked around in the natural world, you’d think, ‘This is incredible.’ There’s so much life, the natural world is still amazing, and there’s still so much to protect.”

Watch the full video of the event, including Honnold’s interview, or read a few excerpts (lightly edited for clarity) below.

Katherine Bagley: You and I are about the same age, and I remember as kids growing up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, it was like the recycling ads and the oil spills and that we had to save the ozone layer. And I’m curious when climate became part of the conversation for you.

Alex Honnold: Yeah, honestly, I’m not sure. None of those things really speak to me. I think that I was probably not that environmentally aware as a child. I mean, my parents are both professors. I grew up in Sacramento, just sort of a suburban California kid. And I think those weren’t big things in my house. I don’t think either of my parents were profound environmentalists in any way, even though we went camping and stuff, but that’s kind of different. 

And so I think it really was as I started to travel as a rock climber and go on expeditions. I mean, basically I just started reading a lot more. I read a ton of environmental nonfiction and just started to care a little more and then to see a little bit more. And sort of seeing some of the links between energy access and global poverty and climate change — basically the transition to renewables. And those are all things that I was kind of interested in starting in, I guess 2009.

Basically when I started doing some of my first overseas rock climbing expeditions, I was like, “Oh, I care about the way the rest of the world works and I’m interested.” And really the more I learned, the more it was like, “Oh, this seems important. This seems like something I should be more stressed about.”

Emily [Teitsworth, executive director of the Honnold Foundation] was just talking about Kara Solar, this organization that the Honnold Foundation supports in the Ecuadorian Amazon. And this is in Guyana [referencing an onscreen photo], which is the other side of the Amazon. It’s a different river base and everything. This is called a tepui. It’s like this giant rock face. And this was an expedition for a TV show in National Geographic. But anyway, we basically took river transit boats all the way to the end of the river kind of thing, and then walked for a week through the jungle to get to these walls. 

And so, I mean, I think that has really helped inform my environmental activism. Do you call it activism? Basically, the reason I care. And it’s that you go on enough trips like this and you’re kind of like, Well, we took two-stroke gas-powered boats to the end of the fricking world and then hiked for a week into the jungle to go climb this wall. And you see how these communities — basically you just see how much it matters.

* * * 

Bagley: Have you noticed climate change or other environmental impacts that have impacted some of your favorite places to climb?

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Honnold: Yeah, I mean, one of my favorites is Yosemite. And so you don’t really see climate change impacts in Yosemite that much. I mean, other than beetle kill and obvious things like that, where you’re sort of like, “Oh, the forests have changed composition very quickly,” and drought, and fire, and those types of impacts. 

But you really see it in some places that aren’t necessarily my favorite places to climb, bigger mountains with glaciers. I don’t like ice climbing, which is a good thing, because it’s all falling down anyway. Like, that ship has sailed. 

Because actually, one my last experiences in Patagonia in southern Argentina — if anyone’s ever been to some of the climbing areas in Patagonia, the key to success in Patagonia, basically the weather’s always horrible, is to always have a whole spreadsheet of objectives so that depending on the weather window, you can choose the correct objective. If you’re like, “Oh, we have one day of marginal weather in between two storms, what’s the right objective for that?” Anyway, so we had a really, really bad weather window with marginal conditions and cold temperatures. And we’re like, perfect for an ice climbing objective, let’s go in and do an ice route up this one spire. 

And we hiked in. And hiking in is no joke. It’s like a couple of days to walk into the town and you get to the mountain and we get up there. Anyway, we got there and there was no ice route anymore. The whole thing had fallen down and it was gone. And we were just like, huh. Like, that’ll probably never reform. Like, that’s just gone. 

You see that all over the world with glaciers and with ice features. And a lot of things that used to be approaches or descents up snowy couloirs, like basically just hike up a chute in a mountain, those are mostly melted out. And so now it’s just like a rock chute with things falling down it the whole time. Basically big mountains you see change very quickly right now. 

It’s pretty sobering, because those landscapes don’t seem like they should change. Because when you look at it, you’re just like — since time immemorial, this has been these rugged mountains. And then you’re sort of like, “Oh, no, actually since four years ago, that’s completely changed.” 

I mean have any of you guys been to Chamonix? Anybody skied in Chamonix? They have a whole tourist attraction with labels and dates and stairsteps to the level of the glacier so basically you can get off and you’re sort of like, in 1850 the glacier was up to here and then you go down literally hundreds and hundreds of stairs, you drop hundreds of vertical feet down to this, like, tiny, tiny little piece of ice and, like, here’s the glacier now. And you’re kind of like, “Whoa, that’s changed a lot in the last hundred years.” It’s insane.

* * *

Bagley: I feel like there would be this assumption based on your climbing and where you go that your go-to would be land conservation, but your foundation does solar energy work, and I’m just curious how that interest came about in particular.

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Honnold: Well, I would actually say the energy access work in some ways is land conservation or ties in to land conservation in many ways. Just to go back to this project in the Ecuadorian Amazon, when you reduce the cost of river power transit, you know, basically when you make the boats solar, you don’t have to buy gas. It reduces the need for communities to cut roads through the forest. And so that is basically land conservation because once you cut a road to any of these communities, then those roads are jumping off points for illegal mining, illegal deforestation, basically extractive industries can easily take hold there. A lot of these projects basically help protect the land in a way that you wouldn’t necessarily assume. Basically, empowering local communities is always a good way to protect the land on which they live.

* * *

Bagley: You now go to a lot of the Climate Week events, a lot of these other kinds of events all over the country, and I think for a long time, there was this narrative of just everything is horrible. I’ve been covering climate change as a journalist for 20 years, and it’s a pretty depressing beat a lot of the time. I remember when you and I were talking the other week in preparation for this, you wanted to stress the optimism that there is actually a lot that we can do about climate change, and that doesn’t get nearly enough attention. So can you talk a little bit about the need for that narrative shift? 

Honnold: So I was at New York Climate Week, six months ago or whenever, last year in New York, and there were just so many questions about existential doom and gloom, or like, “Climate, it’s a lost cause, we’ve already lost so much,” blah, blah, blah. And at a certain point, you know, maybe like two days into climate week, I just kind of snapped. 

I’m personally a pretty optimistic person, and just often see the good in things, but I was kind of like: Yeah, I mean, the environment has been severely degraded, we’ve lost a lot for sure, but if you were just dropped onto this planet right here, right now, and you just looked around in the natural world, you’d think, “This is incredible.” There’s so much life, the natural world is still amazing, and there’s still so much to protect. I think we’re better off highlighting what we have and what we can save, rather than mourning what we’ve already lost. Because in a way, what’s lost is lost. You basically only have from the present moving forward. And that’s still pretty freaking great. 

I interview climate folks all the time, and one of the things that I’m often struck by is I interview a lot of marine biologists and people working in ocean conservation, and when you protect reefs — basically anytime you make something a no-fishing zone or you protect it in any way, life just returns. I mean the oceans seem to recover even faster than things on land. Every time I’m just like, man, there’s such a capacity for restoration if you give nature even the slightest chance. 

And I feel like to date, humans haven’t really given nature much of a chance. We haven’t really chosen to make that much effort yet. I mean, obviously in some cases, local communities can put tremendous effort into saving one river, let’s say. But at a big picture, humans haven’t really tried that hard yet. And I’m kinda like, man, humans are capable of a lot when we try. And so that keeps me pretty optimistic.

* * *

Everybody here knows more about all of this than I do. I just love rock climbing, and I’m trying to do my small part to do something useful in the world. But I do think that there’s something lost in the pessimism around environmental storytelling and all that kind of stuff. Just because at least I personally am just not inspired by pessimism at all. I’m kind of like, “Oh, well, if it’s already lost, then screw it, it’s already lost.” But if I’m making progress, if I am improving, then I’m very motivated to keep making progress and keep improving. 

And I mean, that’s kind of a personal thing. That’s true for training, that’s true for all the things that I do in sport and climbing. If I feel like I’m making progress then it’s easy to get up and try hard and absolutely try my best. And so I feel with environmental issues, it’s like you’re better off focusing on the places that you can make progress. I mean like seeing a river restored like that and just seeing the absolute transformation in just a few years [referencing the restoration of the Klamath River after the removal of dams], that’s incredible. It’s stories like that I think are worth highlighting.

This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Alex Honnold: ‘You just see how much it matters’ on May 14, 2026.

This year of the Fire Horse brings a long-awaited transformation to one of America’s oldest Chinatowns. 

After years of organizing, planning, and fundraising, APEN and Friends of Lincoln Square Park are finally breaking ground to renovate the Lincoln Recreation Center into a state-of-the-art Resilience Hub!

With disasters becoming more frequent and intense, we need deep investment in the systems and social supports that strengthen our communities and offer resources in times of crisis.

This is where Resilience Hubs come in.

By turning a place where the Chinatown community gathers every day into a resilience hub, we shift disaster response from an individual burden to a collective plan.

Hear directly from APEN Chinatown members and community advocates on the importance of this project.

Since the 1970’s, Lincoln Rec Center has been more than a building; it’s been an essential gathering spot.

Today, it serves roughly 1,000 neighbors each day, including youth, seniors, immigrants, and low-income families who rely on the Center for CalFresh assistance, voter registration, free community college classes, and essential services in their own languages, like Cantonese, Mandarin, and Vietnamese.

“I have been a member of APEN and a resident of Oakland for nearly 20 years. To me, Lincoln Recreation Center is more than just a place—it is the heart of our Chinatown community,” shares APEN member Feng Ying Zhou.

Feng Ying Zhou and Chinatown members kicking off the year with APEN’s big member meeting in 2024.

Our Chinatown members’ passion and courage have been critical to the momentum of this long-spanning project.

“We have met with city departments on-site, joined countless meetings, and provided feedback to shape the design. We have spoken directly with elected officials, sharing the real needs and voices of our community,” Feng Ying explains.

And a Resilience Hub can’t come soon enough. California’s perennial wildfires have shown how quickly smoke, ash, and power outages can put vulnerable residents at risk.

This project will turn Lincoln Rec Center into a safe shelter where neighbors can access clean air, emergency resources, culturally appropriate services, and recovery support when disaster strikes.

Volunteers created 5,800 emergency starter kits packed with life-saving essentials like flashlights, first aid kits and masks at Lincoln Rec Center.

“I was deeply moved when I first heard about the vision for a Resilience Hub,” shares Feng Ying.

“I was reminded of the devastating wildfires in California. It made me realize how critical and urgent this project is. This is not just a renovation—it is about building a lifeline for our community.”

Every dollar you donate today helps our members continue to build resilience in Chinatown and steward a place where generations can continue to live with dignity and security.

We hope to welcome you soon to the new Lincoln Rec Center!

 

With gratitude,

Sky Liang (APEN Lead Organizer) and Feng Ying Zhou (APEN Oakland Chinatown Member)

 

 

The post A Long Awaited Glow Up for Oakland Chinatown appeared first on Asian Pacific Environmental Network.

Richard Kidd has seen what happens when energy runs out.

As an emergency logistics officer with the United Nations, Kidd was responsible for ensuring the flow of food, fuel, and water in some of the world’s most fragile environments. In refugee camps, energy isn’t abstract — it’s life or death.

“The refugee camp is the ultimate energy poverty environment,” he says. “If you run out of diesel to run the generators, you turn off the generators that clean the water, and people start to die of waterborne disease. You turn off the generators that provide power to the medical clinics, and you no longer have cold chains to keep medicines effective. Or you turn off the power that provides the lighting and the security, then you have violence.”

That experience shaped how Kidd understands energy: not only as infrastructure, but also as the foundation for human dignity, safety, and survival.

That perspective influenced his approach to driving efficiencies in last-mile logistics, and led him to RMI.

In the early 2000s, Kidd was invited to participate in an RMI design charrette exploring what a net-zero refugee camp might look like — an ambitious idea that brought together thinkers from across disciplines.

“I was brought into the charrette as the refugee camp guy,” he recalls. “I met Amory and the entire Rocky Mountain team. It was really enriching and exciting.” Richard then went on to collaborate with Amory and RMI on Winning the Oil End Game. He also briefed RMI’s board on energy and environmental security.

What stood out for Kidd during these early collaborations wasn’t just the people, but the way they approached problems.

“Two principles I learned from RMI that cascaded through everything were whole-systems integrated design and the idea of ‘making the problem bigger.’ Because then you have more solutions.”

At first, that idea can sound counterintuitive. But in practice, it means stepping back from a narrow technical question to understand the real need behind it. Instead of asking, “How do I heat my house?” you ask, “How do I keep people warm?” That shift opens up entirely different solutions — like better insulation, smarter building design, or passive heating — that can reduce or even eliminate the need for a furnace altogether.

It’s a way of moving from what RMI cofounder Amory Lovins calls the “hard path” to the “soft path.” The hard path focuses on producing more energy — bigger power plants, more fuel, and more supply. The soft path starts by reducing demand through efficiency and smarter design, often solving the problem before new energy is needed.

By expanding the frame, challenges that once seemed intractable become flexible, and new, often simpler solutions come into view.

Those ideas would stay with Kidd as his career evolved.

Kidd went from the UN to the US government, where he spent over 16 years leading public-sector sustainability projects at the Department of Energy, the Army, and later, the Department of Defense.

Initially, he led the Federal Energy Management Program at the US Department of Energy, helping federal agencies meet their sustainability goals through improved building performance, energy efficiency, and renewable energy deployment.

Later, he brought that same systems-thinking approach to the US Army, where he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy and Sustainability. There, he helped drive significant reductions in energy use, including cutting petroleum consumption in the Army’s vehicle fleet by more than 40% in just a few years.

“Enabling fuel savings required looking at more than just vehicle efficiency. It required examining rule sets and patterns of use,” Kidd says. “In the federal government, the higher the individual’s rank, the larger the vehicle. We changed this and allotted vehicles based on use-cases, matching form to function.”

While with the Army, Kidd implemented what was then the federal government’s comprehensive High Performance Sustainability Design Guide — a set of standards designed to ensure federal facilities are energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective — resulting in the largest portfolio of LEED-certified buildings in the nation. He also led efforts that resulted in the largest pipeline of energy savings performance contracts in the federal government and the deployment of over 700 megawatts of renewable energy systems.

Kidd then served as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for environmental and energy resilience, where he and his team guided policies associated with a $13 billion energy bill and authored the Department of Defense’s climate adaptation and mitigation plans.

Today, Kidd continues to apply that systems-thinking approach as a strategic advisor on energy innovation, decarbonization, and climate resilience. He works with a wide range of clients — from consulting firms and investors to utilities, research institutions, and emerging technology companies — helping them identify solutions that are both commercially viable and socially beneficial.

And he traces this kind of impact back, in part, to the way RMI shaped his thinking.

It’s why he believes the organization’s influence can’t be measured by projects alone.

“RMI’s impact goes far beyond what shows up in an annual report,” he says. “It’s in the people they’ve influenced — people who’ve had some interaction with RMI and then are inspired and go do other things.”

Over time, that ripple effect adds up.

“I would suspect RMI’s cumulative impact… is much higher than the sum of all their annual reports.”

Today, Kidd continues to support RMI as a Solutions Council donor — part of a deliberate giving strategy focused on both humanitarian and environmental work. He sees his contributions not just as charitable, but also as a way to sustain the ideas and insights that have shaped his own work, and a way to help others do the same.

“Every little bit counts,” he says. “This is a collective problem that we collectively have created as a society, and we collectively have to address it.”

For those considering their first gift, his message is simple:

“Everyone has an opportunity to be part of the solution… and if you really want to make a difference, RMI is one of the best places to do it.”

The post From Energy Scarcity to Systems Change: Why Richard Kidd Gives to RMI appeared first on RMI.

Creating the Grid of the Future: Transmission planning in Oregon and our Region Joshua Basofin Thu, 05/14/2026 - 1:55 pm

With only hours to spare, union nurses represented by California Nurses Association successfully forced Kaiser to back off from firing a DACA nurse colleague because the federal government has been extraordinarily slow to renew her work authorization.

For Immediate Release:

May 14, 2026

Contact:
Ashley Castaneda, ashley@restorethedelta.org

SACRAMENTO, CA — In a major blow to an already declining Delta along with California Tribes, Delta farmers, and the environmental justice communities across the Bay-Delta region, Governor Newsom’s May Revise budget proposal allocates $25 million to the misleadingly named “Healthy Rivers and Landscapes” program, which would send even more water to corporate agribusiness interests, while dedicating zero funding to critical Delta levee protections. 

Investments in Delta levees are essential to protecting the region’s four million residents from worsening flood risks driven by climate change and safeguarding the Delta’s $7 billion annual economy.

Restore the Delta has consistently advocated for Proposition 4 funding designated for levee improvement in the Sacramento San-Joaquin Delta. Yet instead of prioritizing these urgent infrastructure upgrades, the Governor’s proposed budget directs $125 million in Proposition 4 funds to the Bay Area for the development of a park.

A budget is a moral document, and Governor Newsom’s approach to water resources management fails the tests of morality, fairness, affordability, and protection for everyday Californians. Under this administration, the Delta has not only been neglected, it has been placed at even greater risk by policies that continue to endanger the region, its communities, and its future.

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VANCOUVER — Joanna Kyriazis, director of policy and strategy at Clean Energy Canada, made the following statement in response to newly released federal vehicle sales data for March:

“We knew March would be an important month for EV sales: it was the first month that fully captured the return of the $5,000 federal EV rebate in February, and it was the month the war in Iran began driving up gas prices. 

“The anecdotal evidence that Canadians were increasingly looking to go electric was strong, but today’s numbers are unmistakable: Canada saw a 75% increase in EV sales in March compared to the same month last year.

“Regionally, this was a phenomenal 136% year-over-year increase in Quebec, a 53% increase in B.C. and the territories, and a 40% increase in Ontario.

“That amounts to 12.2% of new vehicle sales in Canada (compared to 6.5% last March), but provincial numbers tell another story. Roughly a quarter of British Columbians and those in the territories (23.5%) purchased an EV in March, 21.8% of Quebecers did likewise, while Canada’s largest province, Ontario, continues to catch up with EV sales at 8%.

“While price matters, clarity is similarly important. Last year’s EV rebate pause caused many would-be EV buyers to wait on the sidelines, artificially deflating normal EV demand. That is now being rectified.

“To build on this momentum, Canada must ensure that it’s not only providing consumers with rebates but also access to affordable models. The introduction of a limited number of Chinese EVs is already having an impact, with Tesla recently significantly dropping the price of its popular Model 3 after shifting production back to Shanghai. Hopefully, new models from Chinese companies will give Canadians even more budget-friendly options and, critically, keep other automakers on their toes. The forthcoming $35,000 import price quota for a sizable percentage of these vehicles can help realize this important goal.

“Likewise, ensuring Canada’s forthcoming tailpipe standards are designed to achieve roughly 75% EV sales by 2035 is the other, massive piece of this puzzle. Like improving competition, the regulation will compel automakers to meet the market with more affordable EVs.

“Affordable EVs exist, and Canadians are hungry for good options that make financial sense in the short term as well as the long term. Recent Clean Energy Canada analysis found that EVs still save typical drivers about $23,000 to $32,000 over 10 years of ownership. But not everyone can afford to save money a few years down the road. Upfront price matters, and where it works, Canadians are ready to hit the accelerator.

“The proof is in the numbers.”

The post 75% EV sales spike in March a strong signal that 2026 will be Canada’s EV comeback year appeared first on Clean Energy Canada.

Utah’s San Rafael Swell and San Rafael Desert are known for their sinuous slot canyons, soaring redrock cliffs, and prominent buttes. These quintessential redrock landscapes are home to irreplaceable cultural and historic resources, important wildlife habitat, and unmatched recreation opportunities, including destinations such as Mexican Mountain, Buckhorn Draw, Tomsich Butte, Sweetwater Reef, designated wilderness areas, and the San Rafael Swell Recreation Area. Unfortunately, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is considering substantially expanding damaging off-road vehicle use across these landscapes.

Please speak up today for the San Rafael Swell and the San Rafael Desert.

As a refresher, the BLM previously completed travel management plans for the San Rafael Swell and San Rafael Desert in 2024 and 2022, respectively. Frankly, neither plan was particularly good because each prioritized off-road vehicle use at the expense of natural and cultural resources as well as non-motorized recreationists. Together, those plans designated hundreds of miles of new motorized vehicle routes. Now the Trump BLM is planning to go even further and is proposing to open hundreds of miles of additional off-road vehicle routes in its latest quest to transform quiet, wild places into motorized playgrounds.

The San Rafael Swell and Desert are too special to meet that fate.

The BLM is accepting comments through Monday, June 8. While the comment deadline is the same for each plan, they are being analyzed separately. Follow the links below to comment on each plan.

Click here to submit comments on the
San Rafael Swell
  Click here to submit comments on the
San Rafael Desert
 

These beloved landscapes offer endless opportunities for hiking, camping, and spending time with family and friends. They should be known for stunning vistas, abundant cultural sites, and opportunities for solitude, not off-road vehicle damage.

Do you know the San Rafael Swell or Desert especially well? Comments that draw from first-hand knowledge and experiences in these areas are the most effective. Have questions? Reach out to our Utah Organizer, Mimi Ortega, and she’ll be happy to help guide you through the process.

Thank you!

The post Take Action: Speak Up for the San Rafael Swell and Desert! appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

By Jane HoltTen people gathered at Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center on a recent April morning, a morning filled with sunshine, warm temps and bird song. While the sun and 60-degree temperature...

The company said it plans to use the funding to finance “tax-driven investments,” including “hybrid tax equity, accelerating the deployment of clean energy.”

Every time a lease sale looms over the Arctic, we hear a version of the same hopeful, persistent question: Why can’t Alaska Wilderness League—or everyday people—simply show up, bid on the land, and choose not to drill?  

The answer reveals a system that is far less democratic than it should be—and far more focused on corporate profit than the public good.

Lease Sales Are Built for Extraction

Oil and gas lease sales on public lands are not open marketplaces. Lease sales are carefully constructed processes, governed by agencies like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and built from the ground up to serve the singular purpose of facilitating extraction.  

Caribou near Trans Alaska Pipeline. Photo by Lisa Shon Jodwalis, BLM

To be a qualified bidder, an entity must register with the federal government, demonstrate financial capacity, and have the expertise and intent to actually follow through on oil and gas development. This includes bonding requirements, compliance obligations, and operational expectations layered on top, particularly if seismic exploration or development programs are pursued. 

All of it reinforces the same baseline assumption that oil under federal public lands exist for extraction. There is unfortunately no pathway in this system for someone whose goal is protection when conservation is not considered an eligible use.  

Previous Attempts to Bid 

In 2008, student and climate activist Tim DeChristopher entered a Utah BLM auction and successfully bid on 14 parcels of land, covering 22,500 acres, with the explicit intention of keeping them out of the hands of oil and gas companies. He had no intention of developing the leases and, critically, no ability to pay the $1.8 million he committed to.

DeChristopher was charged, convicted, and ultimately sentenced to federal prison.  Even efforts that attempt to operate within the system’s gray areas reveal its limits.

When the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) stepped in to bid on Arctic Refuge leases, it raised a new set of questions that cut to the heart of who this process is meant to serve.  

Photo sourced from Northern Alaska Environmental Center

AIDEA is a state-backed financing entity, not an oil company, and its participation blurred the lines between public interest and industrial development. If an entity that doesn’t drill can acquire leases, who is it ultimately acting for? And if the rules can stretch to accommodate certain actors, why do they remain so rigidly closed to others—particularly those seeking to protect rather than exploit?

Whose interests in the Arctic Refuge are recognized as legitimate? 

The Refuge Is Not a “Product” 

The Arctic Refuge is a living, interconnected ecosystem. It supports the Porcupine caribou herd, sustains migratory birds across continents, and holds profound cultural and spiritual significance for the Gwich’in people, who have depended on and protected this land for generations.

Elder Kenneth Frank warming up before the 2014 Gwich’in Gathering that was held in Old Crow, Yukon. Photo sourced from Alaska Magazine / Peter Mather.

Time and again, attempts to industrialize it have faltered. Lease sales have struggled to attract interest. Major oil companies have stayed away. The economic promises used to justify development have not materialized.

Meanwhile, the broader context in which these lease sales are proposed tells its own story.

As global tensions rise, including ongoing conflicts with Iran, oil prices fluctuate and often climb, placing strain on families across the country. But the notion that drilling in the Arctic Refuge would provide relief is misleading and ignores the basic timeline of Arctic development. 

Even under the most aggressive scenarios, oil extracted from this region would not reach the market for decades. It would do nothing to lower prices today, tomorrow, or in the near future. What it would do is lock in long-term industrialization of one of the last intact ecosystems in the United States, all while oil and gas companies continue to post enormous profits driven in part by the very instability used to justify their expansion. 

How You Can Take a Stand

We believe that if people were given the opportunity to bid on the Arctic for the purpose of protecting it, they would. And while the current system doesn’t allow for that kind of participation, we’re creating a way to make that collective will visible.

By contributing “$25 per acre” to Alaska Wilderness League, you can show how much land you would choose to protect if the rules were different. This is a symbolic action, not a literal bid. But it sends a powerful message: the Arctic’s value is not measured in barrels of oil. It’s measured in caribou migrations, intact ecosystems, and the right of future generations to inherit a thriving, wild landscape.

Take a Stand

We know that the reason you can’t simply “bid to protect” the Arctic Refuge is not a lack of care, creativity, or commitment on the part of the public. The system was just never built to accommodate those things in the first place. Changing that reality will take persistence, pressure, and a reimagining of what we believe public lands should be.

Until then, we will keep fighting—for the Arctic, and for the principle that some places are too important to be reduced to a line item in a lease sale.

Audubon is calling on beachgoers to make beaches safer for birds by avoiding their nesting areas during this busy holiday weekend and throughout the summer.These special birds lay their eggs right on...