It’s Earth Day. I have thoughts (and a bunch of links).

The Laura in her natural habitat, in the Berkshires about a year ago. I just noticed that the rock in the upper left corner of the picture looks like a heart!

I’m trying to catch up on all the Earth Day-related news and essays around the internet, and there are a lot–you should see how many tabs I have open right now. To start, I’ll point you to the Nation, which has devoted all of its content today to climate change (!!). So far, I recommend these:
–The change within: the obstacles we face are not just external.
–“Jobs vs. the environment”: how to counter this divisive big lie.

In Keystone XL-related news, Obama has delayed his decision on the pipeline…again. On one hand, it’s kind of annoying that he keeps putting it off; but at the same time, it’s a sign of progress. As Bill McKibben puts it, “[W]ithout a broad and brave movement, DC would have permitted this dumb pipeline in 2011. So on we go.”

Today is the start of the Reject and Protect protest against KXL, which is hosted by the Cowboy and Indian Alliance (yes, that’s really what they call their group of farmers, ranchers, and Native American tribal leaders). There will be a big rally on Sunday, and many of my fellow Bostonians will be there. I don’t have the travel-energy for it, after two trips to Philadelphia in the past few weeks to see my grandmother, but I will be there in spirit.

A protest I might actually be able to attend is the People’s Climate March in New York City on September 20-21. Finally, a major climate action within a few hours of Boston! And I love NYC, so I appreciate any excuse to go there.

Now, on to the thoughts–which are about one particular article. To be fair, I didn’t read the whole thing, just a post about it, so take my reactions with a grain of salt; but I didn’t have the brain-space to read the whole thing when even a few quotes pissed me off so much. The article is a New York Times Magazine profile of Paul Kingsnorth, a former environmental activist who publicly gave up on climate change and retreated to the woods to found a literary journal and hold Burning Man-like parties.

As Heather Smith at Grist points out, his group “sounds less like an enduring movement with relevance to the environmental movement as a whole than a midlife crisis.” 

And then she really nails it: “In declaring the largest problem of our era unfixable, Kingsnorth gave himself — and a few other earnest, idealistic types – the perfect excuse to put on a badger mask and go party in the woods.”

My take on all this: it takes a metric fuckton of privilege to give up on the world.

Sunday links, 3/9/14

My classy feline friend Napoleon enjoying the sun

Fa(t)shion
-This is such a cool idea, and ties into everything I’ve been writing and thinking about sustainable fashion: Open source 3D knitter lets you digitally fabricate your clothes.
-I so wish I could teleport to Australia for the Curvy Couture Roadshow!
–The fall runways were filled with ravers and club kids. YES.
-Amanda has started a Pinterest board for plus size bridal and bridesmaid dresses.
-The newest issue of Volup2 is out, with two full volumes of awesomeness!
–Tips on wearing your ballerina skirt perfectly.
–Normcore is bullshit: how class, disability, and privilege intersect with fashion.
–Learning to dress “professionally” in a white man’s world.
–The mysterious disappearance of Target’s plus size section, explained.

Fat Acceptance
–7 fat-positive activists and bloggers you should follow.
-Issa answers the “what being a fat woman is really like” questions.
–Wicked to release new plus size sex education video.
-Torontonians of color, check out this event: What is body positivity? Exploring fatness, self-esteem, and fat-positivity for indigenous, black, and people of color.
–Yoga, fat, and fitness.
–Chef serves up fresh insights on food, fat, and fun.
-I love this cartoon about body shapes.

A great mini-documentary on Ragen’s More Cabaret:

Quote of the day: Veteran’s Day and Typhoon Haiyan

Image from 350.org

We are deeply grateful to the folks who have sacrificed quality time with loved ones, health, limbs, and everything else for our country. You are forever heroes to us.

But we want to honor veterans of a different war, today. Veterans who didn’t volunteer to fight, but instead were forced to. Veterans who pay a steep price, against their will, so that the rest of us can enjoy lights, fancy cars, fast trains, and every other luxury that currently comes from the fossil fuel industry.

So much love and honor to our Pilipino sisters and brothers, and our deepest apologies. We promise, everyday, to work towards a just, sustainable world, where you don’t have to bear the brunt of the burden, for the world’s extreme energy addiction.

— Melodeego

Typhoon Haiyan is a horrific, heart-breaking reminder of what’s at stake in the fight for climate justice. We need to fight like hell to prevent more such disasters from happening. And in the meantime, the survivors in the Phillipines need our help. CNN has a list of ways to help here.

Friday links 11/1/13

This jack-o-lantern partied a bit too hard.

Happy day-after-Halloween! I hope you all had a good time.  I spent the evening watching Cabin in the Woods with a group of friends, and although I don’t usually like horror movies, I loved it! It’s pretty much impossible for Joss Whedon to make anything bad, and it didn’t hurt that the cast was full of great actors.

I also had a Halloween party last weekend, where I dressed up as a steampunk Pikachu (in reference to this comic). I will post pictures soon! Now, on to the linky goodness…

Fa(t)shion
-I don’t mean to turn my blog into a complete advertisement for Domino Dollhouse, but their new skull-print babydoll dress and leggings are too awesome not to post about.
-This photo shoot of five fat babes is fabulous.
-The Brooklyn Fashion and Design Accelerator, a collective workspace focused on sustainable production, will be opening in 2014.
-John Scalzi writes about why he dresses the way he does, and how, as a middle-class white man, he faces less appearance-based judgment than most people.
-Jille Edge’s Flickr has plenty of old-school Delia*s nostalgia.
–Politicizing plus size fashion with blogger Brooklyn Boobala.

Fat Acceptance
-There will be a Fat Justice Workshop here in Boston next weekend.
-This fat bellydance DVD looks great.
-Abigail Saguy talks about the history of the “obesity epidemic.”
–Fat people need candy too.

Climate and Sustainability
-A must-read from Naomi Klein: how science is telling us all to revolt.
-The Transition Lab, which trains ordinary people to create a resilient future, sounds amazing. If any of my fellow Bostonians want to learn more, check out the presentations they will be giving in Cambridge next week.
-A great overview of what a post-growth economy means, and why we need one.

Friday Links, 9/6/13

Muriel Landers (source: Fuck Yeah Historical Fat Ladies)

Whew, am I glad it’s Friday.

Climate and Sustainability
–A great interview with Naomi Klein on grassroots climate activism and the problem with many big green groups.
-If you want to see more pictures from the Energy Exodus, check out this Flickr set.
-Have I mentioned lately that I love David Roberts? Well, I’m going to say it again.  His top 20.5 parting insights on climate change, written before he started a year-long sabbatical, are brilliant.
-An important reminder about the history of the Brayton Point coal plant, which stands near the site where Native Americans were massacred in 1676.
-I love the #PowerShiftJourneys profiles of young leaders.
–The NYT has a great profile of Mosaic, the solar energy investing site.
–We should add climate change to the civil rights agenda.
–Solidarity in diversity is key to powering up the climate movement.
-Sandra Steingraber writes about her experience spending 15 days in jail after a civil disobedience action.
-Bill McKibben writes about the necessity of a leaderless, decentralized but connected climate movement.

One thing I never get tired of watching: fabulous fat bellydancers.

Fa(t)shion
-The Advanced Style coloring book is now out! Whooo!
-This comic about fashion tips from nature is great.
-I’m so jealous of Nicolette Mason, who got to visit Tarina Tarantino’s sparkle factory!
-Also of Haley and Amanda, who got a sneak preview of the new Re/Dress store that’s opening in Cleveland.
-I just found out that there’s a Canadian plus size clothing company called Laura. It must be named after me, right? 😉
-This bride’s pink ombre tutu is amazeballs.

#EnergyExodus OOTD: unicorns and glitter

On Sunday night, I posted on Facebook, “I am probably the only person in the world who spends the evening before a climate justice action trying to decide what to wear. #fatshionistaproblems”

One of my friends commented: “Somebody needs to show those poor earnest people how fabulous the future can be.”

Indeed. It’s a hard job, but somebody’s got to do it.

skirt: two small skirts from Buffalo Exchange, sewn together by an awesome friend!, underskirt: thrifted, shirt: 350.org online store, bow: Crown & Glory, bangles: Deb and Torrid, necklace and earrings: So Good

“Our activism is a series of acts of love”: more thoughts on #EnergyExodus

With my carpool buddies Eli, Dorian, Nikki, and Dan

A theme that came up over and over again at Monday’s rally was love.

It came from Turner Bledsoe, a 79-year old who had walked the entire 70 miles of the march. He said, “It’s a march of love–love and concern. I want your lives to be as good as mine was.”

It came from Ben Thompson, a student activist who is taking time off from grad school to pursue climate justice full-time. He said, “Our activism is a series of acts of love.”

It came from the dancing, the music, the blisters on the feet of everyone who walked for six days straight.

It came from the fervent, shared hope for a better world.

A world in which, as Ben said, no one would have to die so that others can have meaningful work. A world in which no one would have to die so that a mother can turn on a light to read to her child.

Building the bridge from our world to that world is doing to take strength we can barely imagine.

We can only do it with love.

We will rise up.

Dogs, dancing, and people power: I made it to the #EnergyExodus after all

Yesterday, I ended up finding the energy to make it to the concluding rally of the Energy Exodus. Due to some last-minute Facebook connecting, I even managed to find a ride.

And I’m so glad I did.

As David Roberts says in his brilliant essay, Hope and Fellowship (which deserves its own post):

When we ask for hope, then, I think we’re just asking for fellowship. The weight of climate change, like any weight, is easier to bear with others. And if there’s anything I’ve learned in these last 10 years, it’s that there are many, many others. They are out there, men and women of extraordinary imagination, courage, and perseverance, pouring themselves into this fight for a better future.

And that’s exactly what I got from the Energy Exodus. Hope, in the form of fellowship with everyone from children to grandmothers. Hope, in the form of dancing.

There was even a dog. Not a golden retriever, but still pretty cute.

On golden retrievers, potential energy, and tired feet

Yesterday, I came across the above picture of the Energy Exodus, a six-day march for renewable energy currently taking place south of Boston–which I’d take part in, if I weren’t so exhausted from my current job situation. My friend Bethany of Granite Bunny posted it along with the comment, “This looks like fun, which means it’s probably the right thing to do.”

I couldn’t agree more. Especially since there’s a prominently featured golden retriever, and I am nothing if not a golden-lover. Any political action endorsed by a sweet, fluffy golden is something I can get behind. (Ok, that’s probably not technically true. But, fluffy!)

Everything about the march sounds amazing–like a cross between an Occupy encampment and an art festival. From the official event description:

This event is family-friendly and fun for all ages! While we have a serious purpose, the march will also include musical performances, art, community potlucks, discussions, faith and spiritual experiences, and lots of opportunities to get to know your fellow marchers and movement members as we walk the transition we want to see. Along the way we will rally, sing, learn, make new plans, and meet new friends.

I so, so wish I could be there.

And I can’t help but think of one of my favorite critiques of the climate movement, Melanie Jae Martin’s “Three Tactics for a Stronger Climate Movement,” and be grateful that the organizers of the Energy Exodus have apparently taken her words to heart:

Imagine if, when blockading a pipeline construction site, radicals invited the whole community to a festival on the site? Instead of a few people locking down, what if the community barricaded the area and held a dance party or a carnival, reclaiming it as a community space for direct democracy, food growing, and celebration? When resilience becomes a key characteristic of the space, joining together to defend it will become less scary and more joyful. People could use the space to construct their own cooperative forms of alternative energy, like community-owned wind power systems. As the movement nourishes the souls of participants more fully, its passion, energy, and numbers will grow, just as the round dance protests of the indigenous rights movement Idle No More have caught on like wildfire throughout the continent and beyond. And in the process, we’ll be forging the alternatives that are absolutely crucial for subverting corporate attacks on the land, air, and water.

Some updates on life and stuff

1.) My birthday party on Sunday was amazing! I’ll put up some pictures from it eventually. We went to the beach, which was beautiful and full of shallows and shifting landscapes; then to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner; and then back to my apartment for general merriment.

One of my friends baked me a pink cake that was intended to look like Kaylee’s dress from the Firefly episode Shindig; another gave me three pins featuring My Little Pony, an angry cupcake, and Hello Kitty.  My friends know and love me, and they are wonderful.

I am so grateful for my friends, for this community that I have.

2.) I am tired. I’m working long hours at my current temp job, which is also physically exhausting, and leaves me with little energy to do anything but crash when I come home. I miss yoga and running errands and generally having a life.

3.) Due to aforementioned exhaustion and long hours, I won’t be able to make it to the Energy Exodus next week.

I barely have the emotional energy to care that Yosemite is burning. I’m mostly just trying to get through the day, put one foot in front of the other.

I hate feeling like I’ve flaked out on all the people I started connecting with in the climate movement.

I hate that there are so many things I want to do, for both myself and the world; so many ways I want to contribute to building a stronger, more equal, more durable society. There are posts I want to write, projects I want to collaborate on, actions I want to attend, art I want to make, places I want to see. Instead, I just have to survive.

4.) This is how unjust systems perpetuate themselves: by making people too tired to act up and change things.

5.) I could write a million posts ranting about the economy, the job market, the insecurity and instability that’s being sold to us as normal. It’s not normal.  It’s not ok. It’s chronic, life-force-sucking, soul-grinding stress.

6.) At the same time, I’m aware that I have a lot of privilege. I’m luckier, economically and otherwise, than a lot of people. I know that what seems like a new, harsh reality for middle-class people like me is nothing new to those who grew up poor and working class.  I know that having shitty options is nothing new to people who never expected anything better. I know that even when the economy was “good,” a lot of people were hurting.

7.) I want that to change. There is so much promising work being done to work toward a better and fairer society (and oh yeah, to ward off planetary destruction).  I wish I had the energy to plug into it.  I wish that there were jobs that addressed all the work that needs doing. Hell, I wish there were jobs.

8.) I’m tired.