A great deal of that pollution is occurring in the third world, and in developing nations like China and India. However, in the United States and even in Minnesota, our lakes and streams are threatened by man-made pollution.

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In 2005, author David Foster Wallace was asked to give the commencement address to the 2005 graduating class of Kenyon College. However, the resulting speech didn't become widely known until 3 years later, after his tragic death. It is, without a doubt, some of the best life advice we've ever come across, and perhaps the most simple and elegant explanation of the real value of education.

We made this video, built around an abridged version of the original audio recording, with the hopes that the core message of the speech could reach a wider audience who might not have otherwise been interested. However, we encourage everyone to seek out the full speech (because, in this case, the book is definitely better than the movie).

-The Glossary

Study analyzes the evolution of the scientific consensus on anthropogenic global warming (AGW) in the peer-reviewed scientific literature, examining 11 944 climate abstracts from 1991–2011 matching the topics 'global climate change' or 'global warming'. Study finds that 66.4% of abstracts expressed no position on AGW, 32.6% endorsed AGW, 0.7% rejected AGW and 0.3% were uncertain about the cause of global warming. Among abstracts expressing a position on AGW, 97.1% endorsed the consensus position that humans are causing global warming. In a second phase of this study, authors rated their own papers. Compared to abstract ratings, a smaller percentage of self-rated papers expressed no position on AGW (35.5%). Among self-rated papers expressing a position on AGW, 97.2% endorsed the consensus. For both abstract ratings and authors' self-ratings, the percentage of endorsements among papers expressing a position on AGW marginally increased over time. The analysis indicates that the number of papers rejecting the consensus on AGW is a vanishingly small proportion of the published research.

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Food & Water Watch’s comprehensive analysis of State Department diplomatic cables reveals a concerted strategy to promote agricultural biotechnology overseas, compel countries to import biotech crops and foods that they do not want, and lobby foreign governments — especially in the developing world — to adopt policies to pave the way to cultivate biotech crops.

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Melting of polar ice sheets and mountain glaciers could increase sea levels significantly over the coming decades leading to a 1 in 20 risk that the existing Thames Barrier would be unable to cope with an extreme storm surge, the study concluded.

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Representatives of eight tribes had been occupying the area, demanding that the government respect their right to their ancestral land and to be consulted about projects that will affect them, and that the construction be stopped immediately.

The government initially responded to the protest by preventing journalists, lawyers, and food entering the occupation site. A judge then ruled that the Indians could be forcefully removed.

Belo Monte is currently being built despite widespread opposition by thousands of indigenous people, who warn it will devastate their land and reduce fish stocks, a crucial part of their diet. Its construction was illegally approved, without the consent of the local population.

The Indians, including representatives of the Kayapó, Arara, Juruna and Asurini tribes, have held numerous protests in recent years, and have stated that they will defend their lands against the project at all costs. They have warned that if the construction goes ahead, the Xingu river will become 'a river of blood'.

In an open letter published on 2 May they declared 'We are the people who live in the rivers where you want to build dams. We are the Munduruku, Juruna, Kayapó, Xipaya, Kuruaya, Asurini, Parakanã, Arara, fishermen and peoples who live in riverine communities. We are Amazonian peoples and we want the forest to stand. We are Brazilians. The river and the forest are our supermarket. Our ancestors are older than Jesus Christ.'

GENEVA, 13 MAY 2013 – A new report released today by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) reveals that 32.4 million people were forced to flee their homes in 2012 by disasters such as floods, storms and earthquakes. While Asia and west and central Africa bore the brunt, 1.3 million were displaced in rich countries, with the USA particularly affected.

98% of all displacement in 2012 was related to climate- and weather-related events, with flood disasters in India and Nigeria accounting for 41% of global displacement in 2012. In India, monsoon floods displaced 6.9 million, and in Nigeria 6.1 million people were newly displaced. While over the past five years 81% of global displacement has occurred in Asia, in 2012 Africa had a record high for the region of 8.2 million people newly displaced, over four times more than in any of the previous four years.

“In countries already facing the effects of conflict and food insecurity such as in Nigeria, Pakistan, and South Sudan, we observe a common theme” says Clare Spurrell, Chief Spokesperson for IDMC. “Here, vulnerability to disaster triggered by floods is frequently further compounded by hunger, poverty and violence; resulting in a ‘perfect storm’ of risk factors that lead to displacement.″

There is also increasing scientific evidence that climate change will become a factor. A 2012 Special Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that there is some evidence to support the claim that “[d]isasters associated with climate extremes influence population mobility and relocation, affecting host and origin communities.”

IDMC’s report highlights how disaster-induced displacement takes a toll in both rich and poor countries with the USA appearing among the top ten countries with the highest levels of new displacement, with over 900,000 people being forced to flee their homes in 2012. People in poorer countries, however, remain disproportionately affected and make up 98% of the global five year total.

“In the US following Hurricane Sandy, most of those displaced were able to find refuge in adequate temporary shelter while displaced from their own homes” says Spurrell. “Compare this to communities in Haiti, where hundreds of thousands are still living in makeshift tents over three years after the 2010 earthquake mega-disaster, and you see a very different picture″.

According to the IDMC report, a critical component to improving community resilience and government responses to disasters is better data collection on people who have been displaced. “Currently the information available is biased, often only focusing on the most visible people who take shelter in official evacuation sites or camps” says Spurrell. “We need to know more about those who seek refuge with families and friends, people who are repeatedly displaced by smaller disasters, or those who are stuck in prolonged displacement following a disaster– not just those that make headlines.”

For more information, please contact:
Clare Spurrell, Head of Communications (in English)
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
E-Mail: clare.spurrell@nrc.ch
Mobile: 41 79 379 89 52

Julia Blocher, Communications Officer (In French)
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)
E-Mail: julia.blocher@nrc.ch
Mobile: 41 (0)79 175 88 87

The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) is a world leader in the monitoring and analysis of the causes, effects and responses to internal displacement. Through its monitoring and analysis of people internally displaced by conflict, generalised violence, human rights violations, and natural or human-made disasters, IDMC raises awareness and advocates for respect of the rights of at-risk and uprooted peoples.

IDMC is part of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). For more information, visit our website at www.internal‐displacement.org

Output of man-made greenhouse gases is putting Earth on track for four degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming by 2100 compared with the pre-industrial 18th century, it said.

The unprecedented speed of warming will be a shock for many species, as it will badly affect the climatic range in which they can live, it warned.

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Senator Warren Introduces the Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act, her first piece of stand-alone legislation, on May 8, 2013. The bill would would students who are eligible for federally subsidized Stafford loans to borrow at the same rate the big banks get through the Federal Reserve discount window.

The full text of Sen. Warren’s remarks (as prepared for delivery):

Mr. President, on July 1st, the interest rate on new, federally subsidized student loans is
set to double from 3.4 to 6.8 percent. That means unless Congress acts, for millions of
young people the cost of borrowing money to go to college will double.

The student debt problem in this country is a quiet but growing crisis. Today’s
graduates collectively carry more than $1 trillion in debt—more than all the outstanding
credit card debt in the whole country. Doubling the interest rate on new student loans
will just increase the pressure on our young people.

Keep in mind: these students didn’t go to the mall and run up charges on a credit card.
They worked hard, they stayed in class, they learned new skills, and they borrowed what
they needed to pay for their education.

Their education will improve their opportunities in life, but their education won’t help
just these students. When they acquire more skills, these students help us build a strong
and competitive economy and they strengthen our middle class.

Student interest rates are set to double in less than two months, but so far, this
Congress has done nothing—nothing—to address this problem.

Some people say that we can’t afford to help our kids through school by keeping
student loan interest rates low.

But right now, as I speak, the federal government offers far lower interest rates on
loans, every single day – they just don’t do it for everyone.

Right now, a big bank can get a loan through the Federal Reserve discount window at a
rate of about 0.75%. But this summer a student who is trying to get a loan to go to
college will pay almost 7%.

In other words, the federal government is going to charge students interest rates that
are nine times higher than the rates for the biggest banks – the same banks that
destroyed millions of jobs and nearly broke this economy.

That isn’t right. And that is why I’m introducing legislation today to give students the
same deal that we give to the big banks.

The Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act would allow students who are eligible for
federally subsidized Stafford loans to borrow at the same rate that big banks get through the Federal Reserve discount window. For one year, the Federal Reserve would make funds available to the Department of Education to make loans to students at the same low rate offered to the big banks. This will give students relief from high interest rates while giving Congress time to find a long-term solution.

Some may say that we can’t afford this proposal. I would remind them that the federal
government currently makes 36 cents in profit on every dollar it lends to students. Add
up all of those profits and you’ll find that student loans will bring in $34 billion next year.
Meanwhile, big banks pay interest that is one-ninth the rate that students will pay.

That is wrong. It doesn’t reflect our values. We shouldn’t be profiting from our students
who are drowning in debt while we’re giving great deals to big banks. We should be
investing in our young people so they can get good jobs and grow this economy, so let’s
give them the same great deal the banks get.

Some explain that we give banks exceptionally low interest rates because the economy
is still shaky and banks need access to cheap credit to continue the recovery.
But our students are just as important as banks to a strong recovery. And the debt they
carry also poses a serious risk to that recovery. In fact, in March of this year, the Federal
Reserve said that, because of the economic impact on family budgets, high levels of
student debt pose a risk to our shaky economic recovery.

If the Federal Reserve can float trillions of dollars to large financial institutions at low
interest rates to grow the economy, surely they can float the Department of Education
the money to fund our students, keep us competitive, and grow our middle class.

Let’s face it: Big banks get a great deal when they borrow money from the Fed. In
effect, the American taxpayer is investing in those banks. We should make the same
kind of investment in our young people who are trying to get an education. Lend them
the money and make them to pay it back, but give our kids a break on the interest they
pay. Let’s Bank on Students.

The Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act is my first standalone bill in the United States
Senate. I’m introducing this bill because our students are facing a crisis. We cannot
stand by and simply watch. This is about our students, our economy, and our
values. The Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act is a first step toward helping young
people who are drowning in debt.

Unlike the big banks, students don’t have armies of lobbyists and lawyers. They have
only their voices. And they call on us to do what is right.

Thank you.