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Robert Hirschfeld @rfhirschfeld.bsky.social · 1d

The former top soybean lobbyist who fought to keep the tree-wrecking pesticide dicamba on the market now runs EPA pesticide policy

and the agency just proposed re-approving dicamba with even fewer restrictions than before.

Gotta have dicamba to grow the soybeans we can’t sell.

Gift Article:

From Industry to E.P.A.: Lobbyist Now Oversees Pesticide Rules

www.nytimes.com

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Lyle Lewis @race2extinct.bsky.social · 1d

Human exceptionalism began when we stopped seeing ourselves as part of the food web.

Agriculture gave us control, then the illusion of superiority.

Every species that outruns its limits believes it’s invincible—until it’s not.

phys.org/news/2025-10...

Human exceptionalism is at the root of the ecological crisis, claims evolutionary biologist

In the grand story of evolution, the crowning human distinction is our big brain. But our large heads have been slow to recognize a less admirable trait of Homo sapiens—self-centeredness.

phys.org

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Raed Mansour @raedmansour.com · 2d

One solution: incentivize heat ICD T & X codes like CMS does for SDOH Z codes promoting comprehensive care, measures impact, improves public health surveillance & payer reimbursement by influencing risk-adjustment calculations. Change this & coding habits will change. Unfortunately, money talks.

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Raed Mansour @raedmansour.com · 2d

In US, undercount of heat-related hospitalizations & deaths has been documented in research for years because healthcare & medical examiners don’t usually code heat as a cause. Summer excess deaths instead, are coded as heart, lung, or kidney disease, age, etc. Can’t manage what you don’t measure.

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Chicago Tribune @chicagotribune.com · 4d

President Trump’s weakening of air pollution regulations doesn't generate the same headlines as masked immigration agents tear-gassing protesters. But it's shaping how Chicagoans, especially those in communities of color, will live and die for decades.

Trump rollbacks likely to increase health disparities in Chicago’s Black and brown neighborhoods

For Englewood residents, proximity to vehicle traffic exposes them to pollutants linked to higher rates of asthma and mortality.

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brettchase.bsky.social @brettchase.bsky.social · 5d

A follow to this story I wrote earlier in October: States are now suing Trump for pulling solar funding. chicago.suntimes.com/environment/...

Trump pulls plug on expanding solar program that cuts Illinois electric bills

Gov. Pritzker’s administration says $130 million in federal funding promised to Illinois for expansion of affordable rooftop solar was illegally halted.

chicago.suntimes.com

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Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 9d

Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez says he’ll attempt to block the demolition of a former coal plant in Pilsen until more is released about the potential environmental impact, as well as the long-term plan for the site. Community members are concerned about harmful dust.

Alderman says he’ll block demolition permit for Pilsen coal plant

Ald. Sigcho-Lopez wants to know the long-term plan for an idled coal plant that sits along the river. Community members are concerned about harmful dust.

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Lyn Heideman @heidelyn.bsky.social · 9d

Following Oct. 6, 2023, and Sep. 25, 2025, BirdCast had it's 3rd billion-birds night on Oct. 8, 2025.

1.25 billion birds flew that night, making it the biggest night of migration yet recorded.

How to read the live bird migration map: birdcast.info/migration-to.... (More in alt text.) #birds

Bird migration forecast maps: https://birdcast.info/migration-tools/migration-forecast-maps/
Live bird migration maps: https://birdcast.info/migration-tools/live-migration-maps/
Local bird migration. alerts: https://birdcast.info/migration-tools/local-migration-alerts/

Live Bird Migration Maps:
Real-time analysis maps show intensities of actual nocturnal bird migration as detected by the US weather surveillance radar network between local sunset to sunrise. All graphics are relative to the Eastern time zone. When present, the red line moving east to west represents the timing of local sunset, the yellow line represents the timing of local sunrise. Areas with lighter colors experienced more intense bird migration. Orange arrows show directions to which birds flew. Green dots represent radar locations for which data are available; red dots represent radar locations with no data available. Note that many radars in mountainous areas (e.g. the Rockies) have obstructions that restrict radar coverage, providing the appearance of no migration where migration may be occurring.

Brighter colors indicates a higher migration traffic rate (MTR) expressed in units birds/km/hour. The migration traffic rate indicates the number of birds per hour that fly across a one kilometer line transect on the earth’s surface oriented perpendicular to the direction of movement of the birds.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology currently produces these maps. Support for this research came from NASA, Edward W. Rose Postdoctoral Fellowship, and Amazon Web Services. The BirdCast project was created by grants from the National Science Foundation and supported by additional grants from Leon Levy Foundation.

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Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) @cms.int · 11d

It’s World Migratory Bird Day! 🦜

Migratory birds face challenges in urban landscapes. Under “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities," discover ways you can help create a world where both birds and people can thrive.

In English, Spanish or French: mailchi.mp/a892589a3f78...

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Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 14d

Chicago artist Tonika Lewis Johnson, known for her social-justice work including the Folded Map Project, has been named a MacArthur Fellow.

Chicago artist Tonika Lewis Johnson among 22 winners of coveted MacArthur ‘genius grant’

The Englewood native, whose work focuses on inequity in Chicago, is among this year’s class of MacArthur Fellows. The list of international fellows receiving the $800,000 prize includes several artists and scientists.

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Anne Schechinger @anneschech.bsky.social · 13d

Me in a new @insideclimatenews.org article talking about our new @ewgofficial.bsky.social report: "Nitrous oxide is powerful. It lasts a long time. But it’s also something that these types of conservation practices can really have an impact on reducing." insideclimatenews.org/news/0810202...

Growing ‘Continuous Corn’ Drives Emissions of a Powerful Greenhouse Gas. It Doesn’t Have To. - Inside Climate News

Corn monocropping emits higher levels of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas which traps heat in the atmosphere more than 300 times as effectively as carbon dioxide. Simple interventions could drastically...

insideclimatenews.org

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Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 15d

BEST BIG CITY IN THE US 9 YEARS IN A ROW.

While critics try to paint Chicago as something to fear, the rest of the world knows the truth — this is the best big city in America.

Best Big City: Chicago Wins Award 9th Year in a Row

Learn why Chicago was voted the Best Big City for the 9th consecutive year by exploring our vibrant culture, welcoming inclusion, and so much more.

www.choosechicago.com

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Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 17d

Earlier this year, Dr. Jane Goodall sat down for an interview for Brad Falchuk’s new Netflix series, Famous Last Words.

The premise of the series is to interview people on the condition that the interview not air until the subject has passed away.

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Inside Climate News @insideclimatenews.org · 17d

The rights of nature is one of the fastest-growing movements on the planet. Now, scientists are increasingly signing on, working with Indigenous communities and others to advance laws and philosophies on behalf of the more-than-human world.

The Scientists Making the Case for Nature’s Rights - Inside Climate News

A growing number of scientists are backing laws recognizing that nature has inherent rights and intrinsic value. A group of wetlands scientists wants the critical ecosystems they study to be next.

insideclimatenews.org

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Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 19d

The city of Chicago has halted the demolition of the historic Damen Silos due to “excessive dust,” according to Ald. Julia Ramirez.

Damen Silos demolition is halted by Chicago city officials due to 'excessive dust'

Ald. Julia Ramirez says community members have complained about the work being done around the massive structures.

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Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 19d

A plan to help energy companies, local governments and others pay for programs to reduce harmful methane and other gas emissions was canceled by President Donald Trump’s administration this week.
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Plans to contain harmful gases, improve electric grid in Illinois nixed by Trump

Almost $600 million in promised grants to businesses, local governments rescinded. Moves are politically motivated, say Duckworth, Pritzker.

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Raed Mansour @raedmansour.com · 19d

We work on heat for this very reason. Record fall heat may be fine for most, but it's a high risk for hospitalization & death for others. Check on family and neighbors, especially if they are >65, live alone, have chronic disease, and/or no AC.

#climatechange #extremeheat @buffett.northwestern.edu

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Inside Climate News @insideclimatenews.org · 27d

You may have noticed your electricity bills are going up by a lot. Here’s a look at how much household electricity prices have risen nationally and in each state.

Which States Are Getting Hit Hardest by Electricity Price Increases? - Inside Climate News

The pain of rate hikes is not distributed evenly across the U.S.

insideclimatenews.org

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Inside Climate News @insideclimatenews.org · 28d

A New Jersey bill awaiting the signature of Gov. Phil Murphy could reshape the relationship between the state and one of the fastest-growing industries amid the artificial intelligence boom: data centers.

How Much Water and Energy do Data Centers Consume? A New Jersey Bill Demands Answers. - Inside Climate News

If signed, the bill would make data centers release quarterly reports on water and electricity use.

insideclimatenews.org

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Climate Mayors @climatemayors.bsky.social · Sep 15

Extreme heat is impacting cities across the U.S., but local leaders are taking action.

From planting 75,000 trees in Chicago to expanding cooling centers in Cleveland and making resilience upgrades accessible in Redmond, #ClimateMayors are building safer, cooler, & more affordable cities for all.

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Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · Sep 18

Don't underestimate the effect of the arts—music, dance, visual, gardening, crafts, theater—for promoting health, a systematic review
@naturemedicine.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...

The arts for disease prevention and health promotion: a systematic review - Nature Medicine

The arts, according to a systematic synthesis of data from 95 studies (across 26 countries), may support non-communicable disease prevention by providing opportunities for increased physical activity,...

www.nature.com

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brettchase.bsky.social @brettchase.bsky.social · Sep 11

Hey Chicagoans. You may be able to see neighborhood-level air pollution measurements in the coming months after the city put up 277 sensors. chicago.suntimes.com/environment/...

Chicago moves a step closer to neighborhood air-pollution monitoring

A network of almost 300 air sensors installed across the city is the largest of its kind in the U.S. The pollution data are expected to be made public next year.

chicago.suntimes.com

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Climate Science Breakthrough @climatescibreak.bsky.social · Jun 2

US climate scientists need all the help they can get. Including from foul-mouthed comedians! 🤡😱😱

Watch Emmy Award-Winning David Cross team up with Prof Michael Oppenheimer in the US launch of the hit series "Climate Science Translated".

#climate #arresteddevelopment #climatescience

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Chicago Piping Plovers @chicagopiping.bsky.social · Sep 9

"The extinction of a species should be a wake-up call, not a eulogy."

Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) @cms.int · Sep 8

30+ years after its last sighting, the slender-billed curlew will soon be declared extinct.

As one of its last witnesses, Simon Barnes urges better stewardship; while @numenini.bsky.social compels us to learn from the slender-billed curlew to prevent repeats.

More: observer.co.uk/news/science...

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Wolf Conservation Center 🐺 @nywolforg.bsky.social · Sep 4

Wild animals belong in the wild. 🐺

On #NationalWildlifeDay, we are reminded why protecting their homes and freedom is critical. Every action counts toward a future where wildlife can roam, choose their families, and live without fear.

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