Per the article, they started to change policy a bit after some of the groups they were sponsoring started attacking the monarchy:
Astonishingly, the attacks of 9/11 had little effect on the Saudi approach to religious extremism, as diplomats and intelligence officials have attested. What finally changed royal minds was the experience of suffering an attack on Saudi soil. In May 2003, gunmen and suicide bombers struck three residential compounds in Riyadh, killing 39 people. The authorities attributed the attacks to al-Qaeda, and cooperation with the U.S. improved quickly and dramatically.
Worth noting, though the article doesn’t make it explicit: Republicans currently hold a majority in the US house of representatives, and they’re the ones trying to get climate provisions out of US law as a condition for passing legislation.
But there’s a big catch: Just because your plastic fork, cup or doggy poop bag is marketed as biodegradable, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll break down in the environment. The same goes for so-called compostable plastic.
Definitely a lot of reasons to be cynical, and I can’t say for sure what your cup was made of, but some of the more common ones (PBS, PLA) simply won’t break down in home composting, but do in fact break down in industrial composting facilities where the temperature is above 50°C
And they list a bunch of compostability certifications which suggest that this is ok in home compost piles, which makes it likely to be true if they actually have those certifications.
Like to bike? Your knees will thank you and you may live longer, too (www.npr.org)
New 9/11 Evidence Points to Deep Saudi Complicity (www.theatlantic.com)
Tormentas eléctricas, viento y cambio climático: esto es lo que hay que saber (www.nytimes.com) Spanish
cross-posted from: slrpnk.net/post/9723378...
Antarctic ‘Doomsday’ Glacier Isn’t Looking So Good (www.splinter.com)
The paper is here
California Polluters Pay Climate Cost Recovery Act made it to the state Senate floor - call your state senator and ask them to pass it
SB 1497 cleared committee, which means that the whole state Senate will vote on it....
Farm Animals Are Hauled All Over the Country. So Are Their Pathogens. (www.nytimes.com)
Giant Hail Is the Weather Threat Keeping Insurers Up at Night (www.bloomberg.com)
cross-posted from: slrpnk.net/post/9717874...
Live Updates: Trump Lawyer Asks Cohen About Hush-Money Reimbursement (www.nytimes.com)
cross-posted from: slrpnk.net/post/9716095...
France Issues Scratch-and-Sniff Baguette Postage Stamps (www.nytimes.com)
Arizona Republicans Set Up a Ballot Measure to Squash Future Ballot Measures | A constitutional amendment, placed on the November ballot by GOP lawmakers, would severely restrict direct democracy (boltsmag.org)
Charging stations are failing to keep up with the EV boom | Once, America had 7 EVs for every public charger. Now, there are over 20 seeking to plug in at each charging station. (wapo.st)
https://slrpnk.net/pictrs/image/fcb0c9b1-0f4a-4a6d-988f-4ff575b311b0.webp
Toxic Gaslighting: How 3M Executives Convinced a Scientist the Forever Chemicals She Found in Human Blood Were Safe (www.propublica.org)
Climate debate bedevils farm bill as US House panel holds vote (www.eenews.net)
Worth noting, though the article doesn’t make it explicit: Republicans currently hold a majority in the US house of representatives, and they’re the ones trying to get climate provisions out of US law as a condition for passing legislation.
Sea levels are starting to rise faster. Here’s how much South Florida is expecting (www.miamiherald.com)
Archived copies of the article: web.archive.org archive.today ghostarchive.org
Is Biodegradable Plastic Really a Thing? Technically, it exists. But here’s what to think about when shopping. (www.nytimes.com)
But there’s a big catch: Just because your plastic fork, cup or doggy poop bag is marketed as biodegradable, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll break down in the environment. The same goes for so-called compostable plastic.