Recent Reading: Climate Change, Culture, & The Nature of Camp

By popular demand, we have my first recent reading post. The rise of the internet and technology has affected how we consume news and media for a while now but, as ethics, sustainability and social justice have increasingly worked their way into the mainstream conversation, it can feel like we’re moving at breakneck speed these days. For those of us who have jobs and lives outside of these sectors, it can be hard to keep up. Seeing as my job and life is wholly immersed in these sectors however, I have the privilege of more time to read and research. With this in mind I put a poll out on Instagram last week asking if it would be helpful for me to start posting regular roundups of everything I’ve been reading, and I was met with an overwhelming yes in reply.

So, here we have it. This one is pretty dang long, as it is my first and I wanted to include everything that I thought was relevant as a starting off point. Going forward we’ll be dealing with shorter time spans, so fewer articles all at once. Remember you’re not at all obligated to read everything, just check out what is relevant or interesting to you (also occasionally I include something that wasn’t written recently but is new to me and I find important, so do remember to check the date on anything you read).

And as general advice before we get started: here are my tips for understanding media bias and identifying fake news. Always helpful to know.

White supremacy, the patriarchy, politics & privilege

This is what Extinction Rebellion must do to engage with people of colour on climate justice – Gal Dem

Facebook bans dangerous far-right extremists – Vox

But Twitter refuses to treat white supremacy like ISIS because it would mean banning some Republican politicians – Motherboard

Sandra Bland filmed her traffic stop, and the footage was just released – Vox

Men are taught not to have intimate friendships with other men, and women are bearing the burden – Harper’s Bazaar

Female Presidential candidates, of course, don’t get fair treatment – Harper’s Bazaar

Senator Nina Turner talks about why health care, higher wages, and free public education are crucial issues for black women – Vogue

Goldsmiths students have been occupying a key university building for nearly two months in response to widespread racism on campus – Gal Dem

While Cambridge University is going to study how it profited from colonial slavery – The Guardian

The Caster Semenya verdict is misogynistic, racist and transphobic – Gal Dem

The culture of sexual harassment at festivals could be changing – Teen Vogue

Work/life balance is a privilege, and many women don’t have it – Refinery29

An Aboriginal approach to mental health is helping farmers deal with drought – Quartz

It’s important to practice spirituality without culturally appropriating – Leotie Lovely

Joe Biden (and lots of other people) need to learn how to apologise properly – The Cut

American politicians are thinking about breaking up big tech – Vox

Climate

A new UN report shows that 1 million species are at risk of extinction – Earther

This is what that report means for humanity – The Guardian

The UK is the first country in the world to declare a climate emergency – Quartz

And the US passed its first climate bill in a decade – Vox

A new study shows how children can change their parents mind about climate change – Scientific American

This is how much ice Greenland has lost – The Atlantic

The biggest cyclone in 20 years has hit India – Vox

And picking up the pieces will take time – Hindustan Times

Two storms also hit Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe in recent months, affecting at least 1.8 million people and leading to an outbreak of cholera – CBC and Reuters

Extinction Rebellion succeeded where most climate protests fail – Quartz

Renewables generated more electricity than coal in the US for the first time – Quartz

And the UK is set to be powered for a whole week without coal for the first time since the industrial revolution! – Reuters

Exxon directors face a shareholder revolt over climate change – Bloomberg

Amsterdam is banning petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 – The Guardian

The shipping industry is also laying out plans to cut emissions – Quartz

This examination of carbon capture technology is old, but still an interesting read – Earther

It turns out that not many Silicon Valley venture capitalists are willing to fund companies trying to address climate change. This is sad, but not surprising – The New York Times

Scientists are also dreaming of air conditioning units that suck CO2 out of the atmosphere – Earther

‘Biodegradable’ plastic bags were examined three years after disposal, and they hadn’t biodegraded – The Guardian

Maine just became the first US state to ban styrofoam – Vox

Food

This Scottish startup is looking to replace palm oil with coffee waste – BBC

Selfridges has removed palm oil from all of its own-brand foods – The Guardian

Cocaine and ketamine were found in shrimp sourced in Suffolk – The Guardian

Big agriculture is breeding a worldwide health crisis – Bloomberg

Fashion

There is more than one way to be an ethical consumer – Man Repeller

Can fast fashion ever be ethical? – Quartz

This beginner’s guide to ethical fashion certifications is really helpful – Fashionista

Harry Styles has evolved into a major fashion icon, and honestly, I am here for it – GQ

Also, the Met Gala happened and produced some great think pieces. My favourites are this one from the Guardian and this one from Vox.

This story on celebrity pastors and their sneakers is equal parts funny and frustrating – Fashionista

Culture

For the first time Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss America were all won by black women – Refinery29

We owe everything we love about socially conscious cinema to John Singleton, he will be sorely missed – Gal Dem

As will Rachel Held Evans, who unexpectedly died over the weekend, but left a monumental legacy behind – The Atlantic

This year’s Turner Prize nominees are more political than ever – Vogue (also, when did Vogue start reporting on the Turner Prize?)

How queer representation on TV is finally changing – Man Repeller

This documentation of non-binary hairstyles is really insightful (plus they all look amazing) – Refinery29

This story about the diabetic community hacking old insulin pumps is fascinating – The Atlantic

 

That’s all I’ve got for you right now. Hopefully it was helpful and, if you’re looking for a bit of light relief after all that reading, check out this creative types quiz from Adobe too. It’s so fun!