In his first week as acting President of the United States, Donald trump has made the environment his primary target. First, he initiated a total social media blackout for the National Parks Service. Then, he went on to block all funding to the Environmental Protection Agency. They too have been gagged by Trump's executive order, causing a media blackout and restricting the EPA from making any new contracts or grants.
It should come as no surprise that these executive orders come at the same time as Trump's approval of the Dakota Pipeline, which has been in the media for months due to massive protests against the construction of the new pipeline.
What's behind the curtain?
The sudden onslaught of attacks against the EPA and the NPS has left many Americans in a blur of confusion. Jason Chaffetz, a Republican US representative from Utah, has introduced a bill to Congress that will allow 3.3 million acres of national lands to be sold off to foreign corporations and investors. Chaffetz, a Tea Party Republican, believes that these National Parks serve no purpose to the taxpayers and would be more profitable if sold.
Currently, these lands belong to the Bureau of Land Management. If Chaffetz is successful, the BLM and the US Forest Service would also be stripped of law enforcement capabilities. The following 10 states would be affected: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming. With Trump's track record as a climate change denier, there's no doubt that he will approve this legislation.
Divide and conquer
This past week has seen many different protests around the nation. The Women's March on Washington, DAPL protestors, freedom of speech and press advocates, and those who are angry about Trump's temporary ban on refugees from select countries have all broken ranks to fight for their cause.
This is where the scientific community comes in. With the goal of bringing all of these people together again, the People's Climate March on Washington has been set for April 29th.
The People's Climate Movement has several goals that they hope will reunite the people to stand against the attacks from the current administration. The reduction of greenhouse gases and pollution, climate change, transitioning to sustainable New Energy sources, human rights, and raising the minimum wage are just a few of their main points. On January 21, the Women's March broke all records for the largest protest in US history at around 6 million participants. Perhaps the People's Climate March will beat that record. By then, it may still be too late, as Trump has made quick work of implementing policy since taking office.