Emily Johnston
@enjohnston.bsky.social
Climate, writing, running, beasts. Valve turner. Host: https://sites.libsyn.com/459540/awabw
poetry: https://www.hummingbirdpoetry.org/books/her-animals-by-emily-johnston-2nd-ed
Making good trouble: troublemakerscommunity.org
poetry: https://www.hummingbirdpoetry.org/books/her-animals-by-emily-johnston-2nd-ed
Making good trouble: troublemakerscommunity.org
Pinned
"Fundamentally, life on Earth is rich with subjects....
a thriving whole is the most baseline need that we have; it cannot be 'balanced' against other needs, because it lies at the root of every one of them."
salazarcenter.colostate.edu/sea-change/
a thriving whole is the most baseline need that we have; it cannot be 'balanced' against other needs, because it lies at the root of every one of them."
salazarcenter.colostate.edu/sea-change/
Sea Change - Salazar Center for North American Conservation
Emily Johnston Emily Johnston is a writer and organizer in Seattle. Her book of poetry, Her Animals, was a finalist for the 2016 WA State Book Award. Emily Johnston Writer and organizerJuly […]
salazarcenter.colostate.edu
What if one of the problems with democracy is that we pretend the world is made of only humans?
Reposted by Emily Johnston
turns out best way to beautify your city is also best way to adapt to climate change:
deprioritize cars & on-street parking
prioritize sustainable mobility and sponge city principles (de-paving streets for trees)
bonus points: cleaner air, reduced urban heat islands, better public health outcomes
deprioritize cars & on-street parking
prioritize sustainable mobility and sponge city principles (de-paving streets for trees)
bonus points: cleaner air, reduced urban heat islands, better public health outcomes
November 26, 2025 at 5:08 PM
turns out best way to beautify your city is also best way to adapt to climate change:
deprioritize cars & on-street parking
prioritize sustainable mobility and sponge city principles (de-paving streets for trees)
bonus points: cleaner air, reduced urban heat islands, better public health outcomes
deprioritize cars & on-street parking
prioritize sustainable mobility and sponge city principles (de-paving streets for trees)
bonus points: cleaner air, reduced urban heat islands, better public health outcomes
What could go wrong?
The Trump Administration’s Data Center Push Could Open the Door for New Forever Chemicals
The EPA is prioritizing review of new chemicals to be used in data centers. Experts say this could lead to the fast approval of new types of forever chemicals—with limited oversight.
www.wired.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
What could go wrong?
This nails a fundamental problem with our entire society. It's also what made the Gates toilet prize so absurd: the best answers didn't involve breakable, hard-to-replace things.
The best innovations often don't need whiz-bang stuff invented in a lab for profit.
The best innovations often don't need whiz-bang stuff invented in a lab for profit.
To say that you can build high-performance buildings with straw and earth without needing a laboratory, industry, or Professor XY is not startup enough.
November 26, 2025 at 3:41 PM
This nails a fundamental problem with our entire society. It's also what made the Gates toilet prize so absurd: the best answers didn't involve breakable, hard-to-replace things.
The best innovations often don't need whiz-bang stuff invented in a lab for profit.
The best innovations often don't need whiz-bang stuff invented in a lab for profit.
Reposted by Emily Johnston
Again:
"Critics warn that a small group of tech companies, including Nvidia, are essentially buying & selling to each other in circular deals that inflate their actual value."
@governorferguson.bsky.social why should regular folks shoulder the safety net, while these companies get tax breaks?
"Critics warn that a small group of tech companies, including Nvidia, are essentially buying & selling to each other in circular deals that inflate their actual value."
@governorferguson.bsky.social why should regular folks shoulder the safety net, while these companies get tax breaks?
November 26, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Again:
"Critics warn that a small group of tech companies, including Nvidia, are essentially buying & selling to each other in circular deals that inflate their actual value."
@governorferguson.bsky.social why should regular folks shoulder the safety net, while these companies get tax breaks?
"Critics warn that a small group of tech companies, including Nvidia, are essentially buying & selling to each other in circular deals that inflate their actual value."
@governorferguson.bsky.social why should regular folks shoulder the safety net, while these companies get tax breaks?
Again:
"Critics warn that a small group of tech companies, including Nvidia, are essentially buying & selling to each other in circular deals that inflate their actual value."
@governorferguson.bsky.social why should regular folks shoulder the safety net, while these companies get tax breaks?
"Critics warn that a small group of tech companies, including Nvidia, are essentially buying & selling to each other in circular deals that inflate their actual value."
@governorferguson.bsky.social why should regular folks shoulder the safety net, while these companies get tax breaks?
November 26, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Again:
"Critics warn that a small group of tech companies, including Nvidia, are essentially buying & selling to each other in circular deals that inflate their actual value."
@governorferguson.bsky.social why should regular folks shoulder the safety net, while these companies get tax breaks?
"Critics warn that a small group of tech companies, including Nvidia, are essentially buying & selling to each other in circular deals that inflate their actual value."
@governorferguson.bsky.social why should regular folks shoulder the safety net, while these companies get tax breaks?
Reposted by Emily Johnston
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
"Medical culture, in contrast, tends to approach preventable tragedies as teachable moments. This is a mistake. Crises are opportunities to show people what you can do for them, not to ask them to change their minds."
Such an important & seldom-made point: just show up.
(Gift link.)
Such an important & seldom-made point: just show up.
(Gift link.)
Opinion | I Went to an Anti-Vaccine Conference. Medicine Is in Trouble.
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:19 PM
"Medical culture, in contrast, tends to approach preventable tragedies as teachable moments. This is a mistake. Crises are opportunities to show people what you can do for them, not to ask them to change their minds."
Such an important & seldom-made point: just show up.
(Gift link.)
Such an important & seldom-made point: just show up.
(Gift link.)
Reposted by Emily Johnston
if there's a reason to keep up the "tribunals for all involved" discourse one such reason it is to put in stark relief how far away some of the Dem politicking is from the mood on the ground
eric swalwell said on msnow that a major goal of a dem majority after the midterms would be for ice masks to come off and badges to come out, this is insufficient
November 24, 2025 at 3:30 AM
if there's a reason to keep up the "tribunals for all involved" discourse one such reason it is to put in stark relief how far away some of the Dem politicking is from the mood on the ground
Reposted by Emily Johnston
I just….find it really hard to believe that IN SEATTLE we’re letting industry burn old tires for power, near residential communities. That’s outrageous, PSCAA.
“Overburdened, overpolluted, community voices can’t be muted!” “No more burning, no more fires, protect our kids from burning tires!” VERY spirited rally by Duwamish River Community Coalition, vs Puget Sound “Clean Air” Agency’s decision to let Ash Grove Cement burn tires for OVER 30% of its energy.
November 22, 2025 at 1:00 AM
I just….find it really hard to believe that IN SEATTLE we’re letting industry burn old tires for power, near residential communities. That’s outrageous, PSCAA.
Reposted by Emily Johnston
Mamdani getting Trump to back down & even *compliment* him costs Mamdani absolutely nothing (& indeed actually shows his skills) & probably also saves a lot of vulnerable ppl in this city a trememndous amount of pain if it means Trump is less inclined to act shitty towards us bc of this meeting
November 21, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Mamdani getting Trump to back down & even *compliment* him costs Mamdani absolutely nothing (& indeed actually shows his skills) & probably also saves a lot of vulnerable ppl in this city a trememndous amount of pain if it means Trump is less inclined to act shitty towards us bc of this meeting
Reposted by Emily Johnston
"Ha ha, bitches, I got a new scooter!" is the rallying cry we need.
“I want their morale as low as possible because a team with low morale is ineffective.”
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Clifford “Buzz” Grambo patrols the streets of Baltimore to keep his neighbors safe—and make federal agents uncomfortable.
www.motherjones.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:35 PM
"Ha ha, bitches, I got a new scooter!" is the rallying cry we need.
Reposted by Emily Johnston
Some billionaires, while building "apocalypse shelters" as personal escape hatches from the climate crisis, are urging Democrats to stop talking about and adopting policies to tackle this existential threat. Don't buy their bullshit. 1/ @aaronregunberg.bsky.social @thenewrepublic.bsky.social
Here’s the Data Showing Why Dems Must Keep Talking About Climate
Centrist groups want to see Democrats retreat from climate policy. That’s the wrong thing to do—both morally and strategically.
newrepublic.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Some billionaires, while building "apocalypse shelters" as personal escape hatches from the climate crisis, are urging Democrats to stop talking about and adopting policies to tackle this existential threat. Don't buy their bullshit. 1/ @aaronregunberg.bsky.social @thenewrepublic.bsky.social
I knew that AI hype is delusional and/or pure lies. I knew the AI boom is wildly destructive to air, water, climate, society, & politics. I knew the AI boom is a scary bubble.
I did not know that the economics of it are essentially a trillion dollar circle jerk.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
I did not know that the economics of it are essentially a trillion dollar circle jerk.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
How Clean Energy Could Prepare for an AI Bubble
Podcast Episode · Shift Key with Robinson Meyer and Jesse Jenkins · 11/19/2025 · 1h 19m
podcasts.apple.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:32 PM
I knew that AI hype is delusional and/or pure lies. I knew the AI boom is wildly destructive to air, water, climate, society, & politics. I knew the AI boom is a scary bubble.
I did not know that the economics of it are essentially a trillion dollar circle jerk.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
I did not know that the economics of it are essentially a trillion dollar circle jerk.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
"Downtown businesses supported free buses because they helped bring people downtown & decreased workers’ transit costs."
Ditto protected bike lanes. If you make travel easy, it turns out that people spend their time & money doing what they need & want to do--not fighting traffic.
(Gift link)
Ditto protected bike lanes. If you make travel easy, it turns out that people spend their time & money doing what they need & want to do--not fighting traffic.
(Gift link)
Iowa City Made Its Buses Free. Traffic Cleared, and So Did the Air.
www.nytimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:35 PM
"Downtown businesses supported free buses because they helped bring people downtown & decreased workers’ transit costs."
Ditto protected bike lanes. If you make travel easy, it turns out that people spend their time & money doing what they need & want to do--not fighting traffic.
(Gift link)
Ditto protected bike lanes. If you make travel easy, it turns out that people spend their time & money doing what they need & want to do--not fighting traffic.
(Gift link)
Reposted by Emily Johnston
A new state-by-state evaluation of the projected energy and water use of "AI" data centers in the US. Looks… real bad. Like, "undoing tech sector climate gains" bad.
Strongly recommends immediately ensuring any & all new "AI" data centers to run on existing & expanded renewables grids. Which… yeah.
Strongly recommends immediately ensuring any & all new "AI" data centers to run on existing & expanded renewables grids. Which… yeah.
Environmental impact and net-zero pathways for sustainable artificial intelligence servers in the USA - Nature Sustainability
The rapid expansion of AI server installations in the United States poses sustainability challenges in terms of water usage and carbon emissions. A study now quantifies these potential impacts and out...
www.nature.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:06 AM
A new state-by-state evaluation of the projected energy and water use of "AI" data centers in the US. Looks… real bad. Like, "undoing tech sector climate gains" bad.
Strongly recommends immediately ensuring any & all new "AI" data centers to run on existing & expanded renewables grids. Which… yeah.
Strongly recommends immediately ensuring any & all new "AI" data centers to run on existing & expanded renewables grids. Which… yeah.
Reposted by Emily Johnston
After much deliberation and a grueling interview process, I’m pleased to announce that I’ve accepted a new job and will not need any financial support from my parents to cover the high costs of childcare going forward. #AmericanDream #ThisIsYourCity
November 18, 2025 at 4:38 PM
After much deliberation and a grueling interview process, I’m pleased to announce that I’ve accepted a new job and will not need any financial support from my parents to cover the high costs of childcare going forward. #AmericanDream #ThisIsYourCity
Seeing them all in prison gives me (another) something to live for.
Some of you point out that the big players have used various tricks to keep their own $ safe. True.
That's why we need to think about how to prosecute them for fraud.
Those bubble-inflating claims - AI will cure all disease! end climate change! double lifespans! - are essentially Theranos X 1000.
That's why we need to think about how to prosecute them for fraud.
Those bubble-inflating claims - AI will cure all disease! end climate change! double lifespans! - are essentially Theranos X 1000.
The AI bubble may be about to bust.
Peter Thiel has sold all of his Nvidia stock.
We all need to say this very clearly:
NO BAILOUTS FOR THEFT-TECH!
Expropriate their asses instead.
They stole from all of us and fully plan to burn the planet.
They owe us - not the other way around. 1/3
Peter Thiel has sold all of his Nvidia stock.
We all need to say this very clearly:
NO BAILOUTS FOR THEFT-TECH!
Expropriate their asses instead.
They stole from all of us and fully plan to burn the planet.
They owe us - not the other way around. 1/3
November 17, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Seeing them all in prison gives me (another) something to live for.
In Seattle? Join us for this on Wednesday night! We have some great speakers from @amzn4climate.bsky.social, the People's Tech Project, and lots more!
Concerned about climate, affordability, water, surveillance?
Join us on November 19 and December 8 (6pm, Prospect Church) for the first two iterations of the People's Forum on AI.
Come learn more about the dystopian trajectory the tech overlords have us on, and WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!
Join us on November 19 and December 8 (6pm, Prospect Church) for the first two iterations of the People's Forum on AI.
Come learn more about the dystopian trajectory the tech overlords have us on, and WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!
November 17, 2025 at 7:00 PM
In Seattle? Join us for this on Wednesday night! We have some great speakers from @amzn4climate.bsky.social, the People's Tech Project, and lots more!
Reposted by Emily Johnston
The AI bubble may be about to bust.
Peter Thiel has sold all of his Nvidia stock.
We all need to say this very clearly:
NO BAILOUTS FOR THEFT-TECH!
Expropriate their asses instead.
They stole from all of us and fully plan to burn the planet.
They owe us - not the other way around. 1/3
Peter Thiel has sold all of his Nvidia stock.
We all need to say this very clearly:
NO BAILOUTS FOR THEFT-TECH!
Expropriate their asses instead.
They stole from all of us and fully plan to burn the planet.
They owe us - not the other way around. 1/3
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 AM
The AI bubble may be about to bust.
Peter Thiel has sold all of his Nvidia stock.
We all need to say this very clearly:
NO BAILOUTS FOR THEFT-TECH!
Expropriate their asses instead.
They stole from all of us and fully plan to burn the planet.
They owe us - not the other way around. 1/3
Peter Thiel has sold all of his Nvidia stock.
We all need to say this very clearly:
NO BAILOUTS FOR THEFT-TECH!
Expropriate their asses instead.
They stole from all of us and fully plan to burn the planet.
They owe us - not the other way around. 1/3
Reposted by Emily Johnston
P.S. in this house we pay for the writing we want to exist in the world.
Subscribe to @highcountrynews.org for just $12.50/year for digital
www.hcn.org/subscribe/
Subscribe to @highcountrynews.org for just $12.50/year for digital
www.hcn.org/subscribe/
November 12, 2025 at 11:18 PM
P.S. in this house we pay for the writing we want to exist in the world.
Subscribe to @highcountrynews.org for just $12.50/year for digital
www.hcn.org/subscribe/
Subscribe to @highcountrynews.org for just $12.50/year for digital
www.hcn.org/subscribe/
Reposted by Emily Johnston
Washington residents! Tell the Dept. of Ecology TODAY that there needs to be a public hearing for Sabey Data Centers' desired addition of new diesel generators in Quincy.
More pollution, more emissions...shouldn't the community have a say?
More pollution, more emissions...shouldn't the community have a say?
November 14, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Washington residents! Tell the Dept. of Ecology TODAY that there needs to be a public hearing for Sabey Data Centers' desired addition of new diesel generators in Quincy.
More pollution, more emissions...shouldn't the community have a say?
More pollution, more emissions...shouldn't the community have a say?
How's that UBI-funded leisurely, creative life enabled by AI going?
“Transforming food and beverage businesses for the AI era.” = New world, worst of the old world.
“Transforming food and beverage businesses for the AI era.” = New world, worst of the old world.
During the height of the pandemic, Tyson used Palantir to predict Covid-19 infections among meatpacking workers down to a nearly exactly figure. But rather than using this data to increase worker protections, Tyson used it plan for labor shortages + plant closures
My latest for @sentientmedia.org
My latest for @sentientmedia.org
November 14, 2025 at 7:52 PM
How's that UBI-funded leisurely, creative life enabled by AI going?
“Transforming food and beverage businesses for the AI era.” = New world, worst of the old world.
“Transforming food and beverage businesses for the AI era.” = New world, worst of the old world.
Hallelujah.
"Opposition blocked or delayed $98 bn in projects from March to June of 2025 alone—8 projects, including two in IA and KY, were blocked in those 3 months, while 9 were delayed...a $17 bn development [near Atlanta], was put on hold...following significant pushback from local residents."
"Opposition blocked or delayed $98 bn in projects from March to June of 2025 alone—8 projects, including two in IA and KY, were blocked in those 3 months, while 9 were delayed...a $17 bn development [near Atlanta], was put on hold...following significant pushback from local residents."
The Data Center Resistance Has Arrived
A new report finds that local opposition to data centers skyrocketed in the second quarter of this year.
www.wired.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Hallelujah.
"Opposition blocked or delayed $98 bn in projects from March to June of 2025 alone—8 projects, including two in IA and KY, were blocked in those 3 months, while 9 were delayed...a $17 bn development [near Atlanta], was put on hold...following significant pushback from local residents."
"Opposition blocked or delayed $98 bn in projects from March to June of 2025 alone—8 projects, including two in IA and KY, were blocked in those 3 months, while 9 were delayed...a $17 bn development [near Atlanta], was put on hold...following significant pushback from local residents."
Reposted by Emily Johnston
$1 billion data centre to maybe create 100 jobs. That's likely an overstatement.
It is truly not worth draining the living word for this vampiric tech and people are starting to realize it.
www.wisn.com/article/meta...
It is truly not worth draining the living word for this vampiric tech and people are starting to realize it.
www.wisn.com/article/meta...
Meta plans $1 billion data center in Beaver Dam
The facility is expected to be completed in 2027 and will support 100 jobs, according to state officials.
www.wisn.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:17 PM
$1 billion data centre to maybe create 100 jobs. That's likely an overstatement.
It is truly not worth draining the living word for this vampiric tech and people are starting to realize it.
www.wisn.com/article/meta...
It is truly not worth draining the living word for this vampiric tech and people are starting to realize it.
www.wisn.com/article/meta...