Fighting the Monsanto-led global transformation of seeds into profit-making, patent-encased intellectual property, scientists and sustainable food advocates at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have launched an Open Source Seeds Initiative to return vegetables to all of us. Likening the move to "a genetic easement," they have introduced 29 new varieties of 14 crops, including carrots, kale, broccoli and quinoa, in packets bearing a haiku-like pledge to use the seeds freely, and enjoy.

"It's kind of a biological meme - free seed! Seed that can be used by anyone!"

You thought Keystone was bad? If approved, Keystone will emit about 24.3 million tons of greenhouse gases, or 1.2 billion over its 50-year life. If approved, two mega coalmines in Australia will emit triple that, or 3.7 billion tons. In honor of that appalling figure and an upcoming National Day of Divestment, action groups have released a great video announcing the coal industry's new Fuck You policy, a "philosophy where we are able straddle the dichotomy between what we know is true and how we can benefit by ignoring that truth."

"Fuck you means we can be passionate about our values, but not act on them. (It takes) our present-day financial burden away from us and transforms it into a chronic, economic, social, cultural and political crisis for future generations. It ensures solid returns to our shareholders, by killing their grandchildren."

Not that we need it in a week that saw the anniversary of the West Texas fertilizer plant explosion and no less than three reports on the many public health risks posed by fracking, but here's more graphic proof of the dangers facing what remains our only planet. From EPA and Greenpeace data, a series of interactive maps showing thousands of facilities possessing "greater than certain threshold quantities of 140 chemicals" - a chilling phrase and number in and of itself - where a "catastrophic chemical release" could harm up to a million people. From Mother Jones. Who said, lest we forget, "Pray for the dead, and fight like hell for the living."