August, 27 2020, 12:00am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Lindsay Meiman,Senior U.S. Communications Specialist,lindsay@350.org,us-comms@350.org,+1 347 460 9082,New York, USA
350.org and 350 New Orleans on 'fossil-fueled' Hurricane Laura
As communities commemorate the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina this Saturday, August 29, Hurricane Laura is sweeping through Southwest Louisiana bringing an "unsurvivable" storm surge, 150 mph winds, and climate destruction reminiscent of what the same region experienced 15 years ago.
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana
As communities commemorate the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina this Saturday, August 29, Hurricane Laura is sweeping through Southwest Louisiana bringing an "unsurvivable" storm surge, 150 mph winds, and climate destruction reminiscent of what the same region experienced 15 years ago.
Alicia Cooke with 350 New Orleans offered the following:
Laura reminds us of the danger of fossil fuel reliance from two perspectives: not only is she strengthened by climate change, but we also see her path cutting straight through a major petrochemical hub along the Louisiana/Texas border, with potential for great environmental catastrophe. When we rely on a fossil fuel economy, we rely on the integrity of oil and gas infrastructure, which has become increasingly vulnerable as storms continue to strengthen year after year.
Tamara Toles O'Laughlin, North America Director at 350.org said:
Let's not forget: Hurricane Laura is fossil-fueled. 15 years after Hurricane Katrina, Black communities, the United Houma Nation, Indigenous Peoples, Latinx, immigrants, and people of color across the Gulf South are still recovering and rebuilding. The attacks are relentless as communities repeatedly face systemic racism, fossil fuel destruction, environmental injustice, and climate disasters like Hurricane Laura. We stand with frontline communities throughout the Gulf South as we honor lives and homes lost, hold fossil fuel executives accountable, and build a Just Recovery toward a Green New Deal that prioritizes our health and safety.
350 is building a future that's just, prosperous, equitable and safe from the effects of the climate crisis. We're an international movement of ordinary people working to end the age of fossil fuels and build a world of community-led renewable energy for all.
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"My child is human!" said Nasbeebah Hajjaj, a Palestinian-American woman who held up her 16-month-old son, Hamza. "Stop killing Palestinian children!"
The anti-war group CodePink said Hajjaj immigrated to the U.S. with her family when she was two months old, and has lost approximately 20 family members to Israel's bombardment of Gaza since October.
The group targeted Austin's testimony a month after the Biden administration released its 2025 budget request—a proposal that includes $1.1 trillion in military-related spending. Despite growing calls from U.S. lawmakers and rights advocates, the White House has not announced conditions for military aid to Israel, which has been widely accused of human rights violations as it has assaulted Gaza and blocked humanitarian aid from reaching Palestinians.
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At least 13,000 children have been killed, and the United Nations reported in February that 70% of those killed overall have been women and children—even as Israel and the U.S. have insisted Israeli forces are targeting Hamas.
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While Hajjaj held up her son at Wednesday's hearing, another protester, identified by CodePink as Helen, addressed the defense secretary.
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About 4,000 Volkswagen workers in Tennessee are voting on whether to unionize with the United Auto Workers. Labor journalist @hamiltonnolan says it's the most important union vote in years and could be the "first domino" in a wider push to organize the auto industry in the South. pic.twitter.com/RWFnO5KznI
— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) April 17, 2024
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