Log our National Forests?

April 10th, 2025

Of the daily horrors produced by this administration, here is the plan and implementation for logging our forests, bearing in mind all the federal layoffs, layoffs that include USDA forestry that would be in charge of implementing this plan (though that could be a benefit?!?).

Trying to keep track of all of this is impossible, and what any of us are individually able to track and consider, it’s beyond nauseating.

National Forests are literally a BIG part of Minnesota:

Chippewa National Forest – Home – US Forest Service

To get a map of Chippewa Forest, has to be purchased from USGS!

Superior National Forest – Home – US Forest Service

Looking up maps on the USGS site, this is cringingly prominent on USGS home page — was it always?

Non-Violent Direct Action

April 6th, 2025

It’s the day after an inspiring HANDS OFF! over the U.S. and reaching across the Atlantic. Often, pretty much at every meeting I’ve been to lately, someone asks, “What can I do?” A literal answer to that question can be found at www.choosedemocracy.us/what-can-i-do with so many options at three distinct levels of ease/effort.

Today, April 6, I’d hosted a Non-Violent Direct Action Training here in Red Wing. Jessica Garroway came down to walk us through what it’s all about, give us some guidance, food for thought.

Here’s Jessica Garraway’s presentation, it gives a general idea, but the in-person discussion really brought it home The preview is weird, so here’s the link – I don’t want to post an editable version, so I’m stuck with this and the videos don’t work:

Videos don’t work in the link so here they are separately:

First up is a great exercise to determine what sorts of actions are right for you — now’s the time for some introspection. The preparation for any action should take a lot more time than it takes for whatever actions you’re contemplating:

What’s a “Direct Action” — well, so many options, and here are a few:

Thinking globally, acting locally? We’ve grown our weekly demonstration from 7 six weeks ago to 181 last Friday, and it’s been inspirational:

And a few thoughts on “acting locally” in Red Wing: