Today’s the first day I’ve had in a bit to come yell on the internet about how we can do better. Please join me.
Igloo cooler recall
First, a point of safety: if you have an Igloo cooler, please check the following recall lists:
Note these recalls are for both US and Canada. The coolers in question have amputated the tips of many people’s fingers. Please do not fuck around with the cooler problem especially if you have kids.
Speaking of recalls…
If you’re in the US, please subscribe to the Consumer Product Safety Commission website. And because we can’t be sure that the CPSC is going to stay funded or that the rules on what counts as recallable stay in tact due to the current administration gutting the life out of everything, please also subscribe to the Canadian Recalls and Safety list.
While you’re at it, use 5calls.org to defend CDC funding and programs and protect worker safety by reversing NIOSH cuts, and if you still have energy after that, read about the EPA and their budget cuts on the Union of Concerned Scientists website.
Public transit
If you live in the Philadelphia area, you probably use SEPTA transit at least on occasion. SEPTA is experiencing a massive funding crisis due to not receiving enough money from the state government. It’s time to speak up for transit and demand that we receive the funding SEPTA needs to not only keep current services but expand the network further into the suburbs so we can cut the congestion on 422, 202, and the other state highways.
Please contact your state legislators and tell them to fully fund SEPTA.
If you don’t live in the Delaware Valley, you should probably check in with your local transit authority to find out whether they’re getting enough funding and what they’re going to do to improve transit. Throw the 20 Benefits of Using Public Transportation for Community and Wellness at them and tell them we can’t afford not to implement public transit.
Taking a break
I had the not-at-all-enjoyable experience of receiving something like 17 messages back from my senators in one bulk mailing recently. Fortunately (?) I was busy helping a friend with a health issue and didn’t have time to get ramped up about it then.
This week I tried — I really tried — to read their responses and understand their positions. One of my senators sent me 12 form letters with the same content. The other sent me 5 videos of him essentially telling me that my positions were wrong.
That’s really hard to hear. I watched two of the videos, and responded in email pointing out the inaccuracies, but when I got into the third video, I almost broke into tears.
So I stopped.
And this is me telling you that you can stop any time as well.
If you’re someone who’s not involved in politics or discussing these things, hey, that’s ok. I invite you to get involved so that you can say that the government represents you (or at least that you tried to sway the government to represent you). But if it’s overwhelming for you, that’s ok too.
If you’re someone who is involved in the day to day situation, I encourage you to use your weekends to take a break. Ignore it. Or at least, only take small bites. Regardless of your position on the current government and regardless of what country you’re in, there’s such a deluge every day of news we don’t actually want but probably should be aware of that it’s necessary to step away.
Me, I’m going to go move the laundry.