Winter weather. Skiing down mountain slopes, skating at the Olympic Oval, and having snowball fights with your best friends back in the sixth grade. Isn't it fun.Wonderful. I've made some of my closest friends through participating in winter sports and enjoying the captivating cold that the Canadian climate provides us. But that's just it.Winter, especially as it's like in the great north, is only available to us here. Our cold climate has been slithering into every aspect of our lives, shaping what we do, ...

Environmental Concerns & Challenges - Soil depletion poses a significant threat, potentially rendering soils unable to grow food within 60 years [1] - Conventional agricultural practices, including plowing and chemical use, degrade soil health, leading to dust storms, floods, and rising food prices [2][5] - Degraded soils lose their capacity to hold water and store carbon, exacerbating climate change and food insecurity [5] - Over the past 70 years, the nutritional content of fruits and vegetables has decreased significantly due to soil degradation [6] Solutions & Regenerative Practices - Healthy soil, teeming with microorganisms, can sequester carbon, filter water, and provide essential nutrients for food production [4][5] - Regenerative agriculture practices, such as no-till farming, cover cropping, and livestock integration, can restore soil health and ecosystem function [10] - Gabe Brown's farm serves as a successful example of how regenerative practices can revitalize degraded land and enhance resilience to extreme weather [11] - Beavers can act as natural water engineers, creating wetlands that boost biodiversity and replenish soil [13][14] Call to Action - Supporting farmers who employ regenerative or organic practices is crucial for promoting soil restoration [17] - Governments should prioritize funding soil restoration initiatives over destructive agricultural practices [17] - Recognizing soil as the foundation of life and educating future generations about its importance is essential for ensuring a sustainable future [18]

At Fort Lauderdale International Airport, historic rainfall turned runways into rivers, shutting it down and stranding passengers. And in New York City, extreme heat caused metal on this bridge to expand so much that the bridge got stuck open. US infrastructure can't handle climate change.That's a recent finding by the American Society of Civil Engineers, which trains engineers and informs federal, state, and local building codes. According to that report, climate related challenges are widespread, affectin ...

Core Points - Watsco, Inc. has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $3.00 per share, marking the 200th consecutive quarter of dividend payments [1][2] - The company has a history of paying dividends for 51 consecutive years, reflecting its commitment to sharing cash flow while maintaining a conservative balance sheet [2] - Watsco focuses on the replacement market for HVAC/R products, which is growing due to aging systems and the need for energy-efficient models [4] Company Overview - Watsco is the largest distributor of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration products in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, with exports to Latin America and the Caribbean [3] - The company plays a significant role in addressing climate change by promoting the replacement of older HVAC systems with higher efficiency models [5] Market Opportunity - There are approximately 102 million HVAC systems in the U.S. that are over 10 years old, many of which operate below current efficiency standards, presenting a substantial market opportunity for Watsco [4] - From January 1, 2020, to March 31, 2025, Watsco is estimated to have averted 23.7 million metric tons of CO2e emissions through the sale of higher-efficiency HVAC systems, equivalent to removing 5.5 million gas-powered vehicles from the road annually [6]

Problem Statement & Financial Analysis - The cost of inaction on climate change is estimated to exceed $1.3 quadrillion (1,266 trillion dollars) by 2100, which is 10 times global GDP [4] - In Germany, there is a 30 billion euro gap of philanthropic potential [16] - Foundations in Germany, with endowments between 100 and 200 billion euro, give away only about 1% annually [13][14] - Mobilizing 1% of income or wealth in Germany could generate 100 billion euro per year, a ten-fold increase over current giving levels [23] Wealth Management & Philanthropy - A significant portion of wealth in developed economies is inherited, often with family expectations to preserve it for future generations [7] - Financial gatekeepers (bankers, tax advisors, family officers) are incentivized to protect and grow wealth, not necessarily to invest it for social good or facilitate giving [9] - Legal instruments like trusts and foundations, while originally intended for protection and preservation, have become part of a global wealth defense industry, locking up money with tax privileges and secrecy [12][13] - Traditional foundations often invest in harmful industries due to low-risk, market-return investment strategies [14] Solutions & Future Trends - Modern giving can be revolutionized by using the internet to reduce costs, replace gatekeepers, and allow broader participation [20] - Digital foundations can enable anyone to start one with any amount of money, facilitating strategic giving, impact investing, and fundraising [21] - Shifting from a blame game to a model where everyone can be a philanthropist, impact investor, or influencer is crucial [25] - Encouraging individuals to give just 1% of their income or wealth can create significant positive change [22]

I want you to close your eyes and imagine you're standing on a quiet beach. The waves are touching your feet. Only this time, the beach is gone.The oceans have crept into cities, swallowed islands, and rewritten the map of our world. Rising sea levels fueled by surging temperatures are not a distant threat. They are already here.And as we wrestle with this growing problem, let me ask you, what if the answer isn't only here on Earth. What if our hope, our survival, maybe even the next great story of humans i ...

[Music] [Applause] [Music] This piece I did it on abandoned railways. station in Surami. Imagine a place long forgotten where nothing remains for use. They try their luck in a bigger louder cities. There is kind of stillness there but not a peaceful one. On a contrary a silent heavy one that grows when hope starts to fade. The wall says I am the wall and I can't. But you, this rhetorical question, simple as it is, has power. It does not scream, but it stirs. It becomes a fume for those who feel frustrated, ...

Project Overview - The project, "Domestic Reing," is a living land acknowledgement in the form of an animal-powered native plant earthwork, located at the Illinois State University Horticulture Center [4][12] - It aims to recognize the genocide and displacement of indigenous peoples and put action behind institutional acknowledgements [13] - The earthwork will be a curated prairie with walking paths surrounded by a semi-circular mound approximately 330 feet (100 meters) long, planted with native prairie plants [12] Themes and Objectives - The project reflects concerns around interspecies relationships, ecosocial engagement, climate change, and community building [5] - It seeks to address social and climate issues through art, fostering a sense of belonging for all people and species [5][28] - The performance aspect, "Sunset on the Longest Day," aims to create community, promote communion, and remind participants of their importance [30][31] Performance and Ritual - "Sunset on the Longest Day" is a relational performance event involving native people sharing their stories [15][16] - The performance incorporates elements of theater, storytelling, and ritual, designed to be felt and experienced [17][25] - The performance includes symbolic actions such as tearing signs, speaking in response to unspoken questions, and walking the perimeter of the earthwork with oxen [18][19][23] Ecological Impact - The project utilizes draft animal power as a renewable resource, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and soil compaction [26][27] - Planting native prairie species with deep root systems will sequester carbon, improve soil health, and provide habitat for pollinator species [27][28] - The use of animal manure enriches depleted soils at the site [27] Call to Action - The project encourages supporting indigenous people by listening to them, hiring them, honoring their agency, and making room for their voices [32] - It emphasizes the importance of remembering that all land in the Americas is stolen native land and learning the history of the people on whose land one stands [32][34] - It suggests actions such as donating land to native tribes and supporting native causes [35]

A Biden era regulation aimed at tackling the climate crisis is being targeted by the Trump administration. Earlier today, the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA announced plans that would eliminate limits on greenhouse gas emissions for power plants. We are finding opportunities to pursue common sense, pragmatic solutions that will help reduce the cost of living, that will help create jobs, that will make it easier to survive in the United States, and to help usher in a golden age, a golden era of Ameri ...

Core Viewpoint - KBR, Inc. has secured a $476 million contract from the U.S. Navy for Base Operations Support services at Camp Lemonnier and Chabelley Airfield in Djibouti, which are critical locations for U.S. military operations in Africa [1][3]. Group 1: Contract Details - The contract is a firm-fixed-price agreement that allows KBR to continue providing essential services at the only permanent U.S. Navy base in Africa [1]. - KBR has been supporting NAVFAC in Djibouti since 2013, providing 24/7 base operations that enhance regional stability and protect U.S. interests [2]. - The new contract will run from November 2025 to May 2034 and includes managing facility operations, airfield and security services, emergency response, and basic life support [3]. Group 2: Market Presence and Growth - KBR operates in various locations, including Bahrain, Diego Garcia, and the UAE, and has over 30 years of experience supporting military operations in complex environments [4]. - The company offers diversified solutions through its Government Solutions and Sustainable Technology Solutions segments, benefiting from the rising importance of national security and energy transition [5]. - As of April 4, 2025, KBR's total backlog was $20.5 billion, with significant contributions from Mission Technology Solutions and Sustainable Technology Solutions [6]. Group 3: Financial Performance - KBR's shares have decreased by 9.5% year to date, while the Zacks Engineering - R and D Services industry has seen a decline of 0.6% [9]. - Despite concerns over dependency on government spending, the demand for sustainable services is expected to drive growth, with earnings estimates for 2025 increasing to $3.85 per share, reflecting a 15.3% growth from 2024 [9]. - The company has maintained a trailing 12-month book-to-bill ratio of 1.0X, indicating steady operational momentum [6].