Greenpeace floats hot air balloon over Chico farm

Message to governor: Stop fossil fuel extraction
by Karen Laslo | Posted October 11, 2020

photo by Karen Laslo
The Greenpeace protest balloon floats up over the north Chico farm in the early morning light.

If you were driving west on Sacramento Avenue past the CSA GRUB Farm early Oct. 8, you might have seen a big blue and green globe floating above the tall trees on the edge of the farm.

It was a Greenpeace hot air balloon, painted to look like planet Earth and trailing a giant banner with a definite and firm message to the governor of California: “Newsom: Stop fueling the flames.”

The message was in reference to the massive climate change-driven wildfires that have scorched Northern California.

Greenpeace, along with some 750 groups, have formed the Last Chance Alliance that claims that Gov. Gavin Newsom isn’t doing enough to facilitate the switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. According to the Alliance, Newsom has issued more than 1,500 oil and gas permits in 2020. read more

“The End of Oil?” It’s about time!

by Karen Laslo | Posted September 11, 2020

photo by Karen Laslo
2019: Steve Marquadt from Chico’s Sunrise Movement (left) and Mary Kay Benson from 350 Butte County protesting congressional inaction on climate change at a town hall.

For years, environmental activists have been warning us about the most dire existential crisis of our lives: Climate Change. But despite their best efforts, very little has changed as people on all levels continue to behave as if there is no crisis, including many of the elected officials that we depend on for leadership and protection.

As a result of this inaction, all creatures, human and non-human, on this beautiful planet we call Earth, our only home, are in imminent peril of extinction.

And now, another deadly crisis has come upon us: The (Trump’s) Covid-19 pandemic. Trump, who is supposed to be our nation’s leader, made no plans to control the virus. His lies and absolute refusal to acknowledge the reality of how dangerous the virus would become if left unchecked made it much worse. read more